Nessie's Story
by realbells21
Summary: Nessies life as she learns about her parents past and Jacob plus someone they thought they knew turns their back on the cullens. all work  by SJ
1. Prolong

**DISCLAIMER-This Story and the plotline was not written by me but by SJ and this story belongs to her. The character belongs to Stephanie Meyer.**

Nessie

Drops of icy water splattered my face, rousing me from a deep pool of unconsciousness. I groaned, slowly opening my eyes, only to be greeted by utter darkness. A dull throbbing pounded at the base of my skull. As my eyes adjusted, I made out the shape of an unfamiliar room, saw the irregular shapes of the large grayish black stones that made up the curving walls. The air was stale and dank. I tried to raise my hand to wipe the moisture from my face, but couldn't. I looked down to see that my wrists were restrained by rusted manacles attached to metal chains. The chains were bolted to the floor. What…? My groggy mind clouded over with confusion as I desperately searched my memory. What had happened to me? Without warning, the last twenty-four hours came back to me in a rush, flooding my brain with nightmarish clarity. A scream bubbled up in my throat and I fought to contain it. Don't scream! They might hear you and come back! But I couldn't stop the tears from flowing. I sobbed quietly, thinking about my family. What were they going through right now? They were surely crazy with grief and fright, were surely searching for me relentlessly, frantic to find me. I knew they would never give up, but I doubted that they'd find me here. I didn't even know where I was, not for certain. I had no way to reach them, no way to call for help. I closed my eyes in defeat. The faces of my loved ones flashed across the backs of my eyelids. Mom, Dad, Grandpa Charlie,Carlisle,Esme,Rose,Emmett,Jasper,Alice,Leah,Sue,Seth,Quil,Embry,Billy….and Jake. My Jacob. Oh, Jake, Jake, Jake. I repeated his name in my mind over and over, like a mantra, a prayer. Would I ever see him again? In that moment, as his beautiful, smiling face lingered behind my eyes, I was filled with a chilling conviction: I would never see any of my loved ones again. I was going to die here.


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter one**

Soft rays of early morning sunshine slanted in through my bedroom window, gently warming my face, beckoning me out of my slumber.  
"Mmmm", I moaned, rolling over and struggling to sit up in the twisted mess of sheets on my bed. I could hear the sweet sound of birds chirping somewhere nearby in the forest surrounding my family's little cottage, and I smiled to myself. I loved these rare sunny days in my hometown of Forks, Washington, normally the rainiest town in the United States. My family and I had just returned here a month ago after several years of traveling abroad. We had last visited Brazil, where we had stayed with our friends Zafrina, Kachiri, and Senna for a few months. I was very happy to see my old South American friends again, including Huilen and her nephew, Nahuel, but I was homesick for Forks. I especially missed my grandpa Charlie and my Quileute friends, who lived in the small reservation of La Push, a few miles up the coast from Forks. I knew that leaving had been essential at the time, and that we would soon return, but that knowledge couldn't stop the ache in my chest whenever I thought of the place I considered my true home, the place where I had been born.

The reason it had been necessary for us to leave our home, if only for a span of a few short years, is because we are vampires. Correction: I myself am only half vampire, half human (my mother, Bella, had given birth to me while she was still human, right before my father, Edward, changed her into a vampire). Being what we are, we must strive to live in obscurity, to remain anonymous to humans. Therefore, we can't stay in any one place for too long, and can never reveal the secret of our true identities. It is the number one rule of being a vampire. There are a few humans in our lives that know the truth of what we are, but they are as bound to secrecy by their own natures as we. They are the people of the Quileute tribe, which includes quite a few people involved in the supernatural world as well: some of the Quileutes are shape shifters that have the ability to transform into wolves. My grandpa Charlie also knows that there is something not quite "normal" about us. My mother could not bear the thought of excluding her father from her new life after being transformed, so she imparted just enough knowledge to him to allow him to continue to see us. By his own request, he does not wish to know the entire truth. He's just happy to be able to be a part of our lives. Thinking of Grandpa made me anxious to see him again. It had only been a week since Mom and I had gone to visit him and my new grandmother Sue, whom Charlie had married just a few years ago. However, I'd missed him terribly in the years we'd been gone and craved his company immensely. While we'd been traveling, I'd kept in frequent contact with him through phone calls, letters and emails of course; but I knew he'd felt horrible about missing out on such a large chunk of my life, so when we'd first arrived back in Washington a few weeks ago, we'd visited him first thing. He'd grabbed me up in a tight hug and hadn't let go of me for what seemed like an eternity. He couldn't believe how much I'd grown and matured, even after all the photos I'd mailed him. It wasn't his style to show his emotions in front of others, but he'd let loose with an abandon I'd never seen in him before. We'd stayed at his house and visited for hours, catching up with each other, talking and laughing. It had seemed like he couldn't get enough of my mother and me. Maybe I'd ask Mom to take me to see him again today, when he got home from work. He's the police chief of Forks.  
A brief tapping at my window startled me out of my reverie.

"Oh!" I jumped slightly, clutching my covers tight to my chest.  
"Nessie? Open up, it's Jake." I rushed over to my window to unhook the latch and shove it open.  
"Jake!" I was always filled with happiness at seeing my best friend in the whole world, the massive 6'7" Quileute Indian, Jacob Black. He grinned at me as he climbed agilely into my room, holding a square package wrapped in bright yellow paper with silver ribbons.  
"Happy birthday, Nessie! I know I'm not supposed to be here right now, but I wanted to be the first to wish you a happy day and to give you your first present." Jake sat on my bed, pulling me down next to him. I smiled at him, eagerly holding out my hands to receive my gift. Jake was one of the most special people in my life, and fortunately, not one of those I'd had to live without for the past six years. He had come with us on our travels, refusing to be left behind in Washington, and, as he had told me, to be away from me for so long. He'd worked very hard his junior year of high school, completing as many senior courses as possible in the year before we'd left, and then done some correspondence work so he could earn his high school diploma. I didn't completely understand why Jake had been so willing to leave behind his family, his tribe, and his home but he had promised to explain it to me when I was a little older. All I knew was that he was my absolute best friend ever, and I was thrilled he'd decided to come with us. I didn't want to go a day without seeing him either. The special bond we shared was like nothing else I'd ever experienced before.

"Well go ahead and open it!" Jake was almost bouncing up and down with excitement. I giggled, punching him on the arm, and began to tear into my present. Inside the wrapping was a cardboard box, taped shut. I deftly tore the top flaps open to reveal a bunch of yellow tissue paper. Nestled in the paper was a small wooden box. Pulling the box out into the light, I noticed dozens of intricate daisies and vines carved into the cherry wood, bordering a slightly upraised heart in the center of the lid. I very gently lifted the lid of the box. A soft tinkling emanated from inside, a beautiful melody that I instantly recognized as one that my father had composed especially for me when I was a baby.  
"Oh, Jake. It's gorgeous! Daisies are my favorite and the carving...and the music..." I was rendered speechless by a lump in my throat and was slightly embarrassed that tears threatened to slide from my eyes. Seeing my reaction, Jake placed two fingers beneath my chin, tilting my face up so he could look into my eyes.  
"Your dad wrote down the music to your special song and had the little mechanical part specially made in Germany. I carved the box myself. I know how much you love daisies, and the heart is supposed to represent us…our friendship." His cheeks flushed a slight pink, but he held my gaze. A small thrill of electricity shot through my body unexpectedly, and I could feel my own cheeks begin to redden. What was going on here? Jake had a look in his eyes that I couldn't quite comprehend, a look I was sure I'd never seen there before. What could it mean? There was definitely love in his gaze, of course we loved each other, we were best friends, but there was something else there too...something a little wild, that gave his eyes an unfamiliar sparkle. A vague premonition flashed through my mind as a small shudder rippled its way through my body: I knew in that moment that a change was coming. I had no idea how significant that change might be, but something had just passed between Jake and I that I was sure was going to change our relationship forever.

I mentally shook myself, put a smile on my face, and planted a quick kiss on Jake's cheek. The strange feeling of electricity had left my body as quickly as it had come. I put it down to still feeling strange about coming home after being gone for so long.  
"I really do love my music box Jake. Thank you so much! It's beautiful, I'll treasure it always." I got up to put my gift on the bedside table. Jake got up from the bed, stretched, and leaned down to briefly wrap his arms around my waist. The strange light in his eyes had disappeared for the time being, and he was back to being the old Jake that I knew and loved.  
"I'm glad you like it, Nessie. Happy birthday." He kissed my forehead tenderly. There was a brief flash of heat on my skin where his lips touched.  
"Wait a second," I said, trying to distract myself. "Why did you feel the need to climb through my bedroom window anyway? Why didn't you just come through the front door, like a normal person?" I laughed as I swatted at his massive chest.  
He dodged me easily, grabbing my wrist and giving me a quick twirl. When I was facing him again, he shrugged. "I came over just before dawn, to run a little routine surveillance around the cottage. Your mom and dad were on their way out, and Edward asked me to keep an eye on you," We rolled our eyes at the same time as he said this," until they get back. I phased so I could come in and give you your present, which I'd hidden in the forest so your mom and dad wouldn't see. I figured they'd come back the front way, so climbing in your window seemed like a good idea," he said, giving me a devilish wink. "Of course, I couldn't think about it either, you know how your dad is. He'd probably be ticked if he knew I'd given you a birthday present before he could." He laughed mischievously, and I smacked at him again. "Jake, why do you insist on trying to one-up my dad all the time? You are both so incorrigible!" It exasperated me when Jake and Daddy got competitive with each other, especially when it revolved around me. Of course, I supposed that all fathers feel competitive as well as extra protective of their daughters when there are boys around. Not that Daddy had anything to worry about where Jake was concerned. He was my best friend, nothing more. Well, I better go. I gotta phase before Bells and Edward come back." Jake turned for my window, giving me another quick, devilish wink before ducking out. I threw one of my pillows at the window, missing my target of course. Jake was unbelievably fast for as big as he was.  
I wondered where Mom and Dad had gotten off to. Maybe they'd gone out to buy me a birthday gift. I couldn't contain my excitement, squealing a little as I rummaged through my closet for something to wear. Today was my seventh birthday. Well, technically anyway. I'd been alive for 7 years, but I didn't exactly look or act much like your average 7 year old. Since half human, half vampires grow and mature at an extraordinary rate, my physical appearance and mental capacity were more closely matched to that of an 18 to 22 year old human, which is another reason why we'd had to leave Forks. It's kind of hard to explain a rapid growth spurt such as mine. So now I was a fully grown, fully mature person. Well, maybe not fully mature, I thought to myself with a grin, thinking of some of the crazier exploits Jake and I had gotten ourselves into. He sure was a blast to hang out with. Sometimes I would get a little sad when I thought about how different my life was, sometimes wishing I could go to a normal public school, and have normal, human friends. You know, go to school dances, hang out at the mall, that sort of thing, just like I'd seen on TV. But only sometimes. Jake and my family more than made up for anything I might be missing out on in the human world. Spending time with Jake was the highlight of my day, a welcome break from the often exhausting routine of home schooling. My mom, dad, aunts, uncles, and grandparents each took turns teaching me everything I needed to know: from the basics such as literature, mathematics and science, to music, architecture, and even fashion design. Jake was my outlet for fun, always ready to do something exciting. Of course, we had to hide a lot of our little adventures from my parents, but since my father can read minds, that's not always an easy thing to do. He usually always knows what we've been up to, but he never stays mad at me or Jake for very long. He knows Jake would never allow any harm to come to me. As a matter of fact, sometimes Jake can be just as stubborn and overbearing as Daddy when it comes to my safety. After changing out of my pajamas and into some suitable clothes, I went into the small living room to grab a book to read. My mom has a pretty decent collection, including a book of poetry by Tennyson, whom I love. I grabbed that one and headed out to the little garden in the back of our cottage, my favorite place to read. On a normal day, I would already be heading to the main house for my daily lessons, but surely my parents wouldn't make me do schoolwork today? I decided that they most likely would not, and settled into one of our comfy garden chairs with my book. I smiled a little as I heard the sound of Jake's paws hitting the earth close by in the forest, his sharp nails digging into the dirt as he gathered speed. I paused in my reading and cocked an ear to the side, listening harder. I can't hear quite as well as the average vampire, but I can sure hear a lot better than the average human. Hmmm. It seemed to me that another wolf had joined Jacob in his run. What does little birdie say in her nest at peep of day?  
Let me fly, says little birdie,  
Mother, let me fly away,  
Birdie, rest a little longer,  
Til thy little wings are stronger.  
So she rests a little longer, then she flies away."  
"Great!" My trilling phone killed my Tennyson buzz. I didn't even have to look to see who was calling. I knew it would be my mother.  
"Good Afternoon Nessie." Mom said in her bell-like voice. Confused, I looked up and noticed that the sun was higher in the sky than I would have anticipated. Where did the time go? I figured I had only been reading an hour or so, definitely not for as long as I apparently had been.  
"Good afternoon Mom." I replied.  
"Nessie, your father and I would like you to come to the main house in about a half an hour. Oh, and do me a favor and wear something nice so we won't have to hear complaints from your Aunt Alice," she laughed. "See you soon, honey."  
"Ok Mom, soon," I said, snapping my phone shut. I knew something important must be going on, since she and Dad had been gone all morning. A spike of pure adrenaline rushed through me as I danced to my room to put on one of the many new outfits Alice had bought me while on her recent trip to L. A. with Jasper. I decided on a light blue sun dress and a white knitted sweater with yellow daisies on it.  
I headed out the front door of the cottage. I decided to pluck a daisy and stick it in my hair. Alice would surely approve of my fashion choices, I said to myself. I was the total opposite of my mother when it came to the subject of clothing and style. She preferred to keep it simple, while I liked dressier clothes. Alice was thrilled by this, to say the least.  
It was such a nice day in Forks, and a dry one at that. I decided to take it slow; I figured the walk would do me some good and give me a chance to think about this morning's events with Jake. The sweet, warm breeze brushing my skin brought back the memory of Jake's lips on my forehead and the sparkling gaze he'd had in his eyes. I sighed in frustration, trying to understand what it all might mean.


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

As I approached the backyard of the main house, I saw Mom and Dad waiting there for me. All seemed calm and quiet in the big house, a little too calm and quiet. Hmmm. was there a surprise party awaiting me in there? Dad looked at Mom and smiled.  
"Well, at least we know she doesn't share your party angst," he said, knowing how much I enjoyed parties and dancing; again, the exact opposite of my mom.  
As we ascended the stairs, a thousand twinkling lights danced across the glass wall of the house and the aroma of fresh baked food and flowers hit me like a ton of bricks. We entered the open glass doors to a cheer of " Happy Birthday!" The words enveloped me, warming me to my soul. I paused in the doorway to drink in the sight of my dear family and closest friends. Yellow daisies and streamers hung everywhere. Carlisle and Esme stood beside a huge, yellow three tiered cake, fresh daisies cascading down it's side. It was surrounded by a pile of gifts. On the other side of them was a table laden with delicious smelling food. It came as no surprise to me that Quil, Embry and Seth were already hovering there, gorging themselves. I grinned as I gazed around the room, taking it all in. I spotted Grandpa, looking well fed, with Sue at his side. The Denali and Amazon Covens were standing near the front entrance. Rose and Emmett were on the white couch along with Sam and Emily, Billy sitting beside them in his wheelchair. A woman I had never seen before, but who seemed oddly familiar, stood behind him. Alice and Jasper were by the stereo with it's massive speakers. I couldn't wait to let loose and dance. Before I had the chance to speak, a familiar scent wafted in my direction, and I turned to see Huilen and Nahuel standing unobtrusively by the entrance to the kitchen. Joy surged through me and my breath caught in my throat as I took in Nahuel's teak-colored skin and alluring gaze. It hadn't been that long since we'd seen them last, but I was very happy to see them again.

At that moment, the front door swung open and in trotted Jake, with someone following close behind…it was Leah! I couldn't believe it! It must have been Leah that I'd heard running with Jake earlier in the forest. I had missed her terribly; we had grown close during the year before we'd left, as close as sisters. She had left La Push a short time after we departed from Forks to attend college in Seattle. I hadn't seen or spoken much to her since. I was definitely excited to talk to her and hear about her time away at college and the boys she had met. Watching them come through the door, I began to notice something familiar in the way they interacted with each other. Something in the way that they giggled and nudged each other bothered me. Jake brushed a few strands of stray hairs from Leah's face, and a twinge of jealousy ran through me that I didn't understand. What was going on with them, or even with me, for that matter?

The room fell silent as everyone turned to stare at the latecomers. Jake and Leah paused, looking like a couple of deer caught in the headlights. It looked like Leah had gone back home to clean up and change for the party after their run in the forest. I guessed Jake had gone with her, which accounted for their late arrivals. Only a few seconds had passed and before I could think much more about it, the rest of my family and friends surrounded me. Of course Aunt Alice was the first to reach me. She danced over to where I was standing between Mom and Dad, each of them with an arm around me.  
"Happy birthday Nessie!" She sang in her birdlike trill. She tugged me out of my parents' embrace, wrapping her arms around me and squeezing the air out of me.  
"Thanks...Aunt Alice...," I panted out, quickly hugging her back and stepping out of her arms.  
"Sorry Ness," she giggled, "I'm just so EXCITED! I can't wait for you to open your presents, especially mine! Will you please, please please, please, PLEASE open mine first?" She clasped her hands together in front of her face, looking for all the world like a wide-eyed, begging puppy. I just had to laugh. I looked over at Mom and Dad questioningly, and Mom rolled her eyes.  
"Go ahead and open Alice's gift first, Ness. It's ok. As a matter of fact, you'd better hurry and do it before she spontaneously combusts." Mom laughed as she squeezed Dad's hand. Alice stuck her tongue out at Mom, then hurried off toward the pile of presents across the room.

"Are you sure you don't want me to have your gift first?" I asked Mom and Dad, a little uncertainly.  
"No, that's alright Nessie. Your mother and I were going to save our gift to you for last." He wrapped his arms around Mom's waist, and she looked up at him and gave him a secret little smile. I had no idea what they were up to, but they were definitely up to something.  
Alice came back over to us, practically shoving her gift in my face, her eyes glowing with excitement.  
"Open it, open it!" She sang, clapping her hands together like a little girl.  
"You might want to give her a chance to breathe first, Alice," Dad said, playfully ruffling Alice's spiky hair.  
"I can't help it, Edward. You know how much I looooovve parties, and today's party is the best of them all! Our little Nessie is finally a woman!" Alice mock pouted at Dad, pooching out her lower lip. I felt my cheeks begin to burn. It embarrassed me whenever anyone referred to me as a "little lady" or a "woman". It was still a little disconcerting, being back home and seeing all of my loved ones again, seeing that they hadn't changed much while I had changed drastically over the few short years we'd been gone. I began to rip open the bright yellow paper surrounding the flat, rectangular package Alice had given me. Inside the box was an exquisite little leather handbag, Italian made according to the designer label attached, and a gorgeous pale yellow silk dress from France.  
"Oh Alice! I love them both! Thank you so much," I squealed with delight, jumping up and down a little. I had to bend down to kiss her cheek, she was such a tiny little thing. I had grown considerably over the past two years. I was taller even than my mom, I couldn't help thinking a little smugly, almost as tall as Aunt Rose.  
"You can't begin to understand what a relief it is to me that you don't share your mother's fashion sense," Alice wiped a hand across her forehead dramatically. She grabbed the leather clutch, slinging it over her shoulder and prancing around as if modeling it for us on a runway.

"It is fabulous, isn't it?" She sighed, looking longingly at herself in one of the full length mirrors against the wall. "I should have picked one up for myself while we were in Europe last year. That's when I picked yours up, of course," Alice winked at me conspiratorially.  
"Hmmm," Dad said, rubbing his chin with his hand," maybe I'll get you…"  
"...one for Christmas! Oh thank you Edward! I love it already," Alice finished for him, using her uncanny ability to predict the future.  
"You are impossibly annoying," Dad smirked.  
"I can't help it if you are impossibly predictable," Alice sniffed.  
"I can't believe Jake hasn't rushed over here with his present yet," Mom said, glancing around the room and obviously trying to distract Dad and Alice from their playful bickering. " I thought he would definitely want to be the first person to give you a gift." The little crease in her forehead became pronounced as she stood on tiptoe, still searching the room.  
"I think he's a little busy with Leah right now," I bit my lip, looking down at my feet. Something in my tone must have alerted him, because Daddy glanced over at me sharply. Before I could stop myself, images from this morning's brief encounter with Jake flashed through my mind, along with the embarrassing feelings of heat and electricity. Which of course, led to my recent, strange feeling of jealousy at seeing Jake's and Leah's playful flirting. Had it been flirting? I couldn't be sure with all the weird, confusing emotions swirling through my mind in a crazy jumble. I noticed Dad was still looking at me with deep concentration in his eyes. He was obviously "hearing" everything that was passing through my mind. I felt like my face was going to burst into flame at any moment.

Relief flooded through me as Daddy finally looked away, turning his attention to something Mom had just said. I knew there was no way he was going to forget about what he'd just heard, and I was not looking forward to the inevitable talk we would have later. But for now at least, I could get swept up in the chaotic excitement of my party and not have to think about it.  
I made my way around the room, accepting all the heartfelt sentiments and wonderful gifts everyone had brought for me. The party was more than I could have imagined, what with the atmosphere of love and happiness, not to mention the company. Seeing my guests gathered here, I couldn't help but be reminded of the last time we'd been together in this house. My mind wandered briefly to that cold winter day when the Volturi had come to Forks to destroy my family. The powerful memory sent a shocking chill to my nervous system, the agonizing confrontation in the huge field in the middle of the forest, awaiting the fateful decision of our future together. Even though we'd all stood against the Volturi, some of our group still had qualms with each other. I shook the disheartening vision from my thoughts. I breezed by Billy, and he caught my wrist.  
"You don't mind if I rolled another friend along with me to crash your party, do you Nessie?" he asked with a sweet gleam in his eyes.  
"No, of course not, the more the merrier," I chirped.  
"This is an old friend of mine, Maggie Call." He gestured to the woman behind him. "She's Embry's mother," he said while trying to clear his throat.  
"It's so nice to meet you Maggie. The resemblance between you and Embry is very striking." I noted.  
"Thank you for letting me stay," Maggie said shyly.

She looked down at her feet for a moment, and I took that opportunity to give Billy a brief, concerned glance. Maggie was a human that, as far as I was aware, had no idea about the supernatural world surrounding her. Her own son was a shape shifter that still lived at home with her, so he could take care of her as well as help take care of their house. How he hid his abnormality from her, I hadn't a clue.  
"Oh, it's ok Ness. Maggie's known about Embry for some time. He…uh, finally told her when it got to be too hard for him to keep it from her," he said uncomfortably, shifting in his seat. "Um...Jake should bring you to the house one night for dinner. I'll make my famous spaghetti sauce. It's an old family recipe, you know." Billy smiled invitingly.  
"I didn't know you were half Italian," I giggled, grateful for the subject change. "I promise to come for dinner soon." I smiled at them and started for the middle of the large room where Quil, Claire, and Leah were already dancing along with Grandpa Charlie, who looked stiff and uncomfortable, and Sue and Alice. Two more steps and I would be free to dance off some of this nervous excitement I was feeling. Jake must have read my mind because he was heading for the same area. From across the room, he started toward me with a sweet grin on his bronzed face, his special grin that said he knew it was party time. We always seemed to be in tune with one another, always ready to have a good time together.

Not so fast, young lady," Rose said, walking towards me with Emmett in tow. "Open your gift from us Nessie," She demanded.  
"Rose, you shouldn't have gotten me anything, you have done so much for me already." I said. She waved me off, smiling as she ran a hand through her perfect, shiny blonde hair. She was a knockout in both senses of the phrase, I thought. She was not only gorgeous, she was also one tough cookie if you ticked her off. I grinned. She adored me and I knew it. I carefully slid the package from the yellow paper, careful not to tear it. I knew Rose had taken her time wrapping this present for me.  
"Yeah, careful with that paper, you know Blondie will get bent if you tear that perfectly wrapped gift," Jake quipped, moving to stand by my side. Sometimes I wondered if he could read my thoughts without me showing them to him. He seemed to know me so well. I blushed at the thought. It was very comforting to feel this way with him, but also a little strange, like it was somehow a bit too intimate. I opened the exquisite Italian wood box to reveal a grooming set, which included a hand mirror, brush and comb. The set was made of expensive pewter with encrusted mother of pearl daisies with amber centers.  
"Gorgeous," I whispered softly.  
"Just like you," it seemed Jake had mumbled under his breath. I was probably just imagining that though.

I remember how much you loved it when I brushed your hair when you were younger," Rose interrupted with an endearing smile.  
"Yeah, we got you a pony to go with it, it's out in the garage. Every seven year old's dream," Emmett joked.  
"Very mature Uncle Emmett." I said.  
"Act your age Nessie," Emmett came back at me. Jake and I shared a grin.  
"Or you could groom your dog with it as well," Rose added, while staring at Jacob with cold eyes.  
"You must have lost another brain cell. You're talking out of that air head of yours again, Blondie." Jacob retorted with an easy smile. I forced a giggle to my lips to try to lighten the mood between Jake and Aunt Rose. I knew how hard it still was for them to try to get along for my sake. I set my gift down on the coffee table and headed once again to the dance floor, but this time I was interrupted by my hungry stomach growling at me. With all the excitement I had forgotten to eat something this morning. Dad must have read my thoughts at that moment because he and Mom strode over to the food table to meet me. They both had enormous grins plastered on their faces. I noticed Dad holding onto a large manila envelope. I picked up my pace, moving towards them with enthusiasm. I knew the envelope must have something to do with my birthday present from them. Unbeknownst to me, it would contain more than my birthday present; it contained my future.

Are you having a good time, Nessie?" Mom asked, smiling at me adoringly.  
"Oh yes, I'm having the best time! I'm so happy to see everyone, especially Grandpa Charlie," I said, surprised to feel the sting of tears in my eyes. I guess I hadn't had enough of his company either. I knew he must be chomping at the bit to spend some time with me now, but Mom and Dad looked like they were about ready to burst.  
"You're actually dead on, Nessie," Dad said, "Charlie is working up the nerve to ask you to dance with him as we speak. However, your mother and I can't wait a moment longer to give you your present. Go ahead and get something to eat first sweetheart, then you can open it when you're done," Dad, ever considerate of my needs, beamed at me. His face utterly glowed.  
"You know I won't be able to wait that long, Daddy!" I squealed. I was curious beyond belief to know what my present was, to find out what exactly was in that mysterious manila envelope.  
"Nessie, you really should eat something, honey. Your father says you haven't eaten all day, and it's been a couple weeks since we went hunting," Mom leaned in toward me to speak in a lower tone, so Grandpa Charlie, who had given up on dancing and was hovering near the buffet table chatting with Sue, wouldn't overhear.  
"Mom I'm fine, really. Please let me have my present... pretty please?" I gave her the most charming smile I could muster, batting my eyes at her.  
"Sometimes you act so much like your Aunt Alice it scares me," Mom laughed. "Go ahead, you can open it." She tried to act exasperated with me, but didn't quite pull it off.

"Hold that thought for a moment, love," Dad told her, taking each of us by the hand and leading us into the center of the room. "I want everyone to see Nessie open her present from us. May I have everyone's attention, please?" He raised his voice slightly to address the room. Alice flitted over to the stereo to turn off the music. Everyone grew quiet and gathered around, forming a casual circle around the three of us. It was obvious from the looks on my parents' faces that they were just as excited as I was for me to open my gift. Dad presented me with the envelope and I carefully peeled open the top flap. Inside were two sheets of copy paper, the first with a heading that read:  
FORKS HIGH SCHOOL  
HOME OF THE SPARTANS!  
My heart fluttered, then sped up. I quickly scanned the rest of the cover letter, which included a hearty welcome to the high school, along with a sincere wish from the entire faculty for a successful academic year. The second sheet contained what looked like a class schedule. I glanced at it, seeing an assortment of classes along with teachers' names and room numbers.  
"Does...does this mean I get to go to school?" I exclaimed, my jaw dropping.  
"Surprise sweetheart! We know how much you've always wanted to go to public school and, well, since your father and aunts and uncles went, we didn't see why you couldn't either. Especially now that your growth spurt has slowed down considerably." Mom reached over to wrap me in her loving embrace.

"Are you sure it's a good idea?" I asked. I was ecstatic at the thought of going to a real high school and getting the chance to interact with human kids, but I also had deep rooted reservations. Living most of my life in obscurity and anonymity made me feel a little timid at the thought of "going public".  
"You have nothing to worry about Nessie. We've come up with a cover story for your identity, as well as some interesting ways to allow Carlisle to continue working at the hospital. Charlie is going to help out with circulating our stories around Forks, so we have everything covered. All you need to concentrate on is your education and enjoying your time at school." Dad sounded so confident that I couldn't help grinning. Grandpa Charlie came over and put his arm around my shoulders. "Yep, we've got a story all worked out. And, according to your mother, I can gossip with the best of them," he said, nudging Mom. They laughed together, sharing a fond look that said they were remembering the old days.  
"Nessie darling, I am so happy for you," Zafrina walked over with Kachiri and Senna following close behind. "I remember our talks of your wishes to attend school. The coming months will surely be an exciting time for you." She kissed my forehead, then moved aside so others could come and congratulate me. After everyone had taken turns hugging me and wishing me well, Mom told me that I would be starting school the following week. "Alice will drive you to Seattle this weekend to do some shopping."  
"We're going to have so much fun!" Alice trilled, "We'll get some new clothes of course, definitely some shoes, and school supplies..."  
"Now don't go too over the top Alice," Dad chided, "Nessie still needs to be able to blend in with the other students." He gave her a stern look.  
"Oh, trust me for once Edward! I'll make sure Nessie is dazzling as well as practical. I'm going to grab Rose so we can start planning a wardrobe!" She exclaimed, as she danced off through the crowd. Someone turned the stereo back on, so I took that opportunity to dance with Grandpa Charlie. After twirling through a few numbers with him and then Jake, I made my way back over to the food table. I really was hungry, so I piled my plate with some of the goodies that Sue had helped Esme prepare. I had developed somewhat of an appetite for human food over the years, but some of it still made me turn my nose up. I was grateful to Esme, who'd obviously chosen the menu, spying a great deal of my favorites. I nibbled until my stomach was settled, then turned slightly as I felt a warm hand gently grasp my wrist.


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

"Hello Renesmee. I hope you are enjoying your party." Nahuel's beautiful voice seemed to physically reach out to touch me. I smiled at him, truly happy to see him again. "Thank you, I'm having a wonderful time," I set my plate aside and turned to fully face him. His eyes seemed to bore into me, leaving me feeling a little unbalanced.  
"If you would not mind joining me outside, I have a gift for you," he said with an expectant look on his face.  
"That's very sweet of you Nahuel, but you didn't need to go to any trouble."  
"It is certainly no trouble to bestow a gift on such a beautiful lady, if I may be so bold." He bowed slightly at the waist in a joking manner, and I giggled in embarrassment. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Jake standing near the front door with Quil, Embry and Seth. He was staring at Nahuel and me with open curiosity, and something else...maybe suspicion? Well, if he is suspicious, or even the slightest bit jealous, he can just stew for a while, I thought to myself, thinking of his and Leah's flirting.  
"Then I would be happy to accompany you outside, good sir," I said in a gracious tone, giving a little curtsy in return. "Shall we?" he asked, placing his hand under my elbow, leading me to the back door. Through the reflection of the glass walls that spanned the length of the rear of the house, I could see Jake begin to follow us. By the banks of the river stood an oddly shaped package wrapped in colorful cellophane, and next to it, a large, beribboned blue-glazed potting bowl. Nahuel produced a small pair of scissors from his pants pocket, handing them to me so I could cut through the wrapping. We were alone outside, though I could see that a crowd had gathered at the back wall to watch me open my latest gift, Jake at the forefront. He stood with arms crossed over his chest, a slight frown on his face. I took a deep breath and cut carefully through the outer layer of paper. I gasped as I took in the sight of a breathtaking red flower with five pointed petals planted in a small pot. "This is called a "red star", a flower that grows plentifully in my homeland. It's binomial name is 'passiflora alata'," Nahuel explained as he helped me finish unwrapping it. "I thought that you might like to help me replant it in this pot," he gestured at the beautiful blue planter.

"Yes, I remember this flower. It's lovely. Thank you, this is so very generous of you," I breathed. "I think there are a few gardening tools in the garage." I pointed toward the renovated building to our right. We went together to retrieve the tools and carefully transferred the gorgeous flower to the larger pot. "It's going to need a lot of light to grow, so I also took the liberty of purchasing a growing lamp for you. I know that you don't normally see a lot of sunlight in this region of the world." Nahuel handed me a cardboard box with a picture of a lamp on the front. "In just a little while, this flower will bear passion fruit, which is quite delicious. I do hope you enjoy it."  
"I'm sure that I will. I've never tasted passion fruit before, but it sounds wonderful." I beamed at him. We were on our knees facing each other.  
"I chose this flower because it reminds me of you...strong, beautiful, and exotic." Nahuel took one of my hands in both of his. His hands were warm and strong, and the look he was giving me...my breathing sped up and my heart pounded. So many strange emotions had run through me today. Coupled with all the excitement of my party, I was sure I'd end up collapsing in a heap if I didn't calm down soon. To lighten the suddenly intense feeling in the air, I reached down and scooped up a handful of water from the river, playfully splashing it in Nahuel's face. He grinned and splashed me back. I squealed and leapt to my feet, running along the length of the riverbank. Nahuel gave chase, easily overtaking me and splashing me again, this time on my legs. After a little while of this, we slowly headed back toward the house, out of breath and laughing together. Most of the guests watching were laughing along with us, with the exception of Jake. He was definitely not happy. His frown had deepened, and I could barely see his dark eyes below the ridge of his furrowed brow. Standing to his left and slightly behind him stood my father. He was staring at Jake with an intensity that meant he was reading Jake's thoughts. My dad began to laugh silently, his whole body shaking in obvious pleasure. I had no idea what he'd heard in Jake's thoughts, but I was suddenly sure that I didn't want to know.

It was twilight now, and the temperature had dropped rapidly. Frost had started to appear on the flower's petals so Nahuel helped me carry the heavy blue pot into the house to set it up under the heat lamp. The fragile flower was in need of some warmth. Seeing the beautiful flower under the bright glow from the lamp, my mind wandered back to my time in South America with Nahuel. I remembered how he had shared with me his vast knowledge and love of plants, how we had wandered day after day through the Amazon jungle that was his home, how he'd pointed out his favorite flowers to me. His hobby had now become one of my own. He held me with his warm gaze as he spoke to me now. "It seems as though I'll be staying close by for awhile. Carmen and her family have invited my aunt and I to visit with them in Denali for an extended stay."  
"That's awesome! You can come back here any time you want and we can have some Forks style fun! I bet you've never played in four feet of snow before." I said, extremely giddy.  
"I can't say that I have, but I'm sure it will be an exhilarating adventure, especially with you around," he said, his deep voice sending a shiver down my spine. "But for now, we must be going. It was nice to see you again, sweet Nessie," he said with a smile on his lips, kissing me tenderly on the cheek. I blushed from embarrassment, but it was quickly followed by a rush of excitement. I didn't have to look to know that Jake had seen Nahuel's display of affection. He watched me like a hawk, making me feel almost like my privacy was being intruded upon. He sauntered over to one of the couches with a carefully blank expression on his face. As he quickly flipped through the channels on the plasma tv, his foot began tapping the floor impatiently. I surmised that he was anxious for Nahuel to leave.

A rush of sadness filled me as some of the guests said their goodbyes. I hated for the evening to end so soon. I could do this all night if my body allowed it. Sometimes I wished I was a regular vampire that didn't need sleep. Grandpa came over to me to wish me a happy birthday again, while bear hugging me and kissing me on the cheek. As Sue was hugging me goodbye, I watched Grandpa wrap my mother tightly in his arms. "It's nice to have you home again Bells. I've really missed you kid," he said, with a quiver in his voice. His cheeks were streaked with tears. " Have you spoken to your mom lately?" He pulled away from her.  
"Yeah, I talked to her yesterday morning on the phone. She and Phil are doing well." Mom's voice sounded thicker than usual. Dad embraced her. This was yet another problem I had to deal with, the fact that I would never really be able to know my biological grandmother. We knew we had to keep my existence from her in order to keep her safe. It was a burden my mother and I shared.  
The house had cleared of most of my guests, but instead of feeling sadness at the openness of the half empty room, a peaceful feeling washed over me. I wondered if Uncle Jasper had something to do with my sudden calm. Surveying the room, I noticed Leah in the corner by the window. I wanted desperately to chat her up about my impending school situation, but the pained look on her face stopped me in my tracks. It was obvious that she was still uncomfortable being in close proximity to Sam and Emily. Jasper walked toward her speaking softly and her face began to relax. I was so glad that Jasper was helping her. They had also formed a bond of sorts before we'd left. This had come about directly after Sam and Emily's wedding. Leah had done her best to keep it together during the ceremony, but she'd become so upset at the reception that Carlisle feared she was on the verge of having a nervous breakdown. He'd called on Jasper to help ease the situation, being discreet about it of course, so Sam and Emily were none the wiser. Leah had shown a vast improvement almost instantly. She'd stuck close to Jasper for the rest of the evening, sometimes even drifting toward him unconsciously when she'd come by the house to visit afterwards.  
Sam noticed Leah's discomfort now, so he and Emily made their way over to my parents and me to say their goodbyes. Something didn't seem right with Emily. She was extremely pale and weak looking. Sweat beads rolled down her tired face. She reached out to take my mother's hand and at that moment, she collapsed to the floor. " Carlisle!" Dad called urgently. Carlisle rushed to her side.

"She has fainted. Let's take her upstairs so I can examine her," he commanded. Dad carefully picked Emily up and headed for the stairs. Sam seemed to be in total shock. Jake put his arm around Sam's shoulder and led him to the couch, sitting next to him." Stay here man, let Carlisle do his "Dr. House" impersonation. He's good at it," Jake joked, trying to soothe Sam.  
An hour later Carlisle and Dad descended the stairs. Sam bolted from the couch. "Where's Em… what's wrong with….is she…?" Sam sputtered.  
" She's fine Sam, relax. There's nothing wrong with her that nine months won't cure. Congratulations, you're going to be a father," Carlisle grinned. Sam's face went utterly still, then he let out a tremendous howl.  
"AARRROOOOOO!"  
I immediately turned to Leah and saw the pained expression return to her face. My heart hurt for her. Our eyes met briefly before she ran for the door, leaving it wide open to let in a chilling gust of wind that swept through the room. For some unexplainable reason my mind registered that gust of icy wind as a sign of terrible things to come. My stomach dropped to the floor and I felt sick.  
Everyone congratulated Sam, pounding him on the back and talking excitedly. I noticed Seth, from the corner of my eye, slipping out the front door and closing it softly. He was going to follow Leah and I knew once he found her she would be ok.

Emily came down the stairs and Sam scooped her up in his arms, kissing her tenderly. I was glad Leah had fled; she didn't need to see this mushy display of affection. "I would like to keep a close eye on the pregnancy, if you don't mind?" Carlisle asked. Sam nodded in agreement. Who would think to turn down Carlisle's skillfulness? He was the best doctor in Forks and I knew the town was glad to have him back, just as he was glad to be back. After Sam and Emily made their exit, Mom, Esme and Alice began cleaning up. I tried to help out, but they wouldn't let me so I plopped down on the couch next to Jake. I lay my head on his chest and he wrapped his arm around me. "Big night, huh?" He questioned.  
"Mm hhmm," I mumbled. It was so warm in his comforting embrace and I was so exhausted that I instantly fell asleep.  
A small wetness on my cheek awoke me from my sleepy stupor. I looked up with half opened eyes into Jake's face, subtly lit from the moon's dim glow. I was cradled in his arms and we were moving, so he must be taking me home. I had a gnawing feeling in my stomach. Before I'd fallen asleep, I'd wanted to confront him about the questionable emotions he'd displayed this afternoon.  
"Are you jealous of Nahuel's friendship with me?" I blurted out. He looked startled for a second, then cupped my chin with his free hand. I felt again that tingling flash of heat where our skin touched.  
"I only want you to be happy, Ness," he said softly. There was a slight sadness in his tone. It made me feel bad for what I'd been thinking.  
"Jake, I'm sor-"  
He put his finger to my lips to stop me from apologizing. A brief flash of anger came over me when he cut me off. He brushed the hair from my eyes, caressing my face. He shook his head. "Not now Ness, it's your birthday," he reminded me. I started to open my mouth to speak again, but he interrupted me." Look, another gift for the birthday girl," he said, sounding surprised.

" Maybe it's another gift from Nahuel," I grumbled. I knew once the words escaped my lips that it was the wrong thing to say. I bit my lip hoping he hadn't heard. It was a low jab. Jake was my best friend and I regretted my harshness instantly. He let out a low grumble from deep within his chest as some strange emotion paraded across his face. It was as if he were in some unexplainable pain. Was his roller coaster of emotions my fault?  
"Doesn't smell like he's been here," he said stiffly.  
It suddenly felt a lot colder as Jake set me down carefully on the cottage stoop. I stared at my feet, torn between wanting to pursue the subject of Nahuel and not wanting to upset Jake further. He was evading my questions. I could tell he was not being truthful with me about his feelings, and this angered me. Why couldn't he just tell me what he was really thinking? The look on his face when he'd watched me playing around with Nahuel, and the look he'd just had when I'd mentioned it again warred with his tender reassurances. I'd always known that Jake wanted the best for me, wanted me to be happy above all else, and did everything in his power to make that happen. He'd always given in to my every whim, while making sure I was completely protected and safe. What was his problem now? Was he really jealous, or did he simply fear for my safety around Nahuel? That's ridiculous, I thought, shaking my head and frowning. Nahuel had never been anything but courteous and friendly with me. He'd never kissed me before today either, though, and Jake had never shown any animosity toward him before...ugh! It was all so confusing! Lots of things have changed today, I thought with a sigh, changed so drastically in just a few short hours. Jake and I had always had a wonderful relationship, the best of friendships, always natural, so easygoing and full of fun. We'd never before been angry with one another, or had the slightest doubt about who we were to each other. I didn't want that to ever change. The situation with Leah, Emily and Sam was no small matter either. I was happy for Sam and Emily of course, but poor Leah...my mind briefly flashed back to her and Jake's flirting. I tried to shove it away. My head was swimming with turmoil and I could feel a headache coming on. All I wanted in that moment was to go to my room, curl up on my bed, and slip into unconsciousness.

I decided to ignore the situation with Jake for the time being. I was exhausted and confused, not exactly in the best shape for an emotional conversation. He would either tell me the truth about his thoughts and feelings or not. Either way, I'd deal with it later. I was mildly curious about the present sitting at my feet. Who would have left a present for me here when practically everyone I knew had just been at my party? I bent down to scoop up the small package, heading to my room with Jake in tow. I wasn't really surprised that he was following me; he always made sure I was safe and comfortable before he went home for the night. I flopped onto my bed. Jake sat in the chair in front of my desk, across from me. He was apparently planning on sticking around until my parents came home. I sighed.  
The gift in my lap beckoned me. It seemed as good a distraction as any right now, so I tore open the tasteful wrapping paper. A flat, rectangular velvet box that obviously contained some type of jewelry took me by surprise. I lifted the lid and gasped. A pair of exquisite earrings gleamed softly in the low light of my bedside lamp. They were clip-ons, of the type worn in earlier centuries. Blood red, oval shaped rubies surrounded by a crust of diamonds tapered down to dangling, off white pearls suspended from delicate golden chains. I tentatively reached out to touch them with the tip of my finger. The rubies felt unusually cold. Surely these could not be real jewels...they would be worth far more than I could imagine, were that the case. Tearing my eyes from the stunning sparkle of gold and gems, I noticed a small card tucked into the top of the jewelry case.

Do you mind if I take a look?" Jake asked.  
"S..sure," I stammered, still pondering who this gift could possibly be from. I doubted very much that it could be from Nahuel. We were dear friends, but for him to give me a present such as this...I couldn't imagine it. And Jake had said he hadn't picked up Nahuel's scent here…neither had I, for that matter. Jake's eyes bugged from his sockets as he took in the contents of the box. Then they narrowed in suspicion. He must be wondering the same thing I was. With trembling fingers, I opened the cream colored envelope to reveal a card made from heavy, expensive paper. My heart stopped dead in my chest as the elegantly scripted words burned into my brain, as comprehension sunk in.

My Dearest Renesmee,  
Greetings from Volterra! I do so hope this note finds you well. I understand today is your seventh birthday, which, if memory serves me, means that it is also a very special rite of passage for you, that you have finally reached the pinnacle of your growth. And what an amazingly beautiful woman you have grown into! The selection of my gift to you was a very careful one, as to compliment that radiant beauty. Your mother and father must be so proud. You must encourage them to bring you to Italy for a visit. I would dearly love to spend some time with you, to learn even more about your fascinating life. Please give my warmest regards to your entire family.  
Sincerely,  
Aro

"Ness? Who are these from?" Jake inquired, glancing up at me just as the note slid from my frozen fingers to fall to the floor. "NESSIE!" He shouted, leaping to my side in a flash. I don't know what he saw in my face, but I was sure it must be close to the horror I saw in his. "What is it? Who sent you this gift? What does the card say?" He grabbed my arms, shaking me almost violently. I couldn't speak. My eyes stared through him as I remembered for the second time that day the terrifying confrontation with the Volturi that had taken place years ago. My mother and father had been certain that they were going to die that day at the hands of the Italian vampires, and that Jake and I would have to flee and go into hiding. I remembered the horrifying feeling that I would never see them again. An icy stab of fear pierced right through my soul. This couldn't be happening, not again...  
After the Volturi had departed that day, there had been much celebration. Alice had assured everyone that they would not return, but my father had not been entirely convinced. He knew that the Volturi would not likely try to retaliate against us any time soon, but he had asked Aunt Alice to use her gift in order to keep tabs on their decisions nevertheless. She had not seen anything in their future that concerned my family in the years we'd been abroad, so we'd all fallen into a sense of security. A false sense of security, it now seemed. Jake lifted my hand, laying it against his cheek to see my thoughts when I didn't answer him immediately. Images of my loved ones' faces rushed through my mind and his, then darker flashes of the Volturi as I remembered them, black and gray cloaked menacing figures bent on destroying my entire existence. Faster and faster, these images raced through our minds, mingled with blood, smoke, pain, fire, horror, despair, screaming, until finally a real scream broke from my being, a sound I barely recognized as coming from myself; the last picture froze in my brain and in front of Jake's vision: all of my loved ones lying dead around me in burning piles and Jacob himself, on the ground in front of me, a mass of blood, me on my knees beside him crying and screaming, clutching at his lifeless body...

"NO!" Jake shouted right in my face, tearing my hand away from his cheek, undiluted anger consuming his entire being. "That's not going to happen Nessie, I won't let it! I won't let anyone hurt you ever, and I'm not going to die! I'll never let anyone take me away from you, EVER!" Jake began shaking uncontrollably, and at that moment, Mom and Dad burst into my room.  
"Jacob, you need to back away from Nessie, NOW!" Dad commanded him, and Jake nodded, rising instantly and crossing the room. Mom put her hand on Jake's chest, trying in vain to calm him. She looked pretty shaken herself.  
"Your father and I were on our way back home, and he heard what you and Jacob were thinking..." she said in a shaky voice.  
"Nessie, I need to see the card you were reading." Dad, trying to sound calm, reached out to me, encircling me in his arms protectively. I merely nodded toward the floor, and he quickly bent to retrieve the card. With one arm still around me, his face became one of stony rage as he read the note.  
"Bella, we need to get Nessie to the main house right now. I need to show this to Carlisle, so we can figure out what to make of it." He turned to Mom, who was holding the box containing the earrings Aro had sent me.  
"Edward, look at these," she whispered. Dad glanced at the box, then took it and shoved it in the back pocket of his khaki pants. He pulled me out the door, grabbing Mom by the arm and suddenly we were racing through the blackness of the night toward the bright lights of Grandpa Carlisle's house, Jake close behind. He'd already phased and was growling low and menacingly, in a way that frightened me. He veered away from us, to scout out the woods. Once inside the house, the rest of my family was instantly alerted by the expressions on our faces and gathered close together.

"Edward, what's going on?" Aunt Rose snapped. Grandma Esme rushed over to wrap her arms around Mom and me. Dad quickly explained everything to them, and their facial expressions began to match the freezing numbness I felt creeping from my chest, extending to my limbs. This must be what people mean when they say their blood runs cold, I thought randomly. Grandma Esme gestured to Aunt Alice, who flitted over to the discreet key pad that controlled the extensive home alarm system. After keying in the code, she pressed her fingers to her temples.  
"I don't understand how this could have happened. I should have seen Aro's decision to send a gift to Nessie." She frowned in deep concentration. "And then, how could he have had it mailed to the cottage? It's not as if the cottage has an actual postal address." She pondered.  
"I don't think it was mailed to the cottage Aunt Alice," I whispered, my lips finally breaking free from their frozen state. "The jewelry box was wrapped in gift wrap with a bow. No postage labels of any kind. Someone had to have hand-delivered it to the cottage." My vision swam, and I vaguely felt myself slipping down into blackness. 


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

********************************************************************************  
Floating...numbness...voices echoing down to me through a dark tunnel...  
"...she'll be just fine...pulse is steady...give her some time..."  
"Nessie honey? Can you hear me..."  
"...knew something like this would happen..."  
"...like to see them try to..."  
"...don't understand how..."  
The voices grew fainter until they became nothing but a distant hum. The blackness engulfed me.

********************************************************************************  
A warm hand gently stroked my face. I struggled to open my eyes, but my eyelids felt like they weighed a hundred pounds. I finally managed to drag them open, only to have to squint against the harsh gray morning light coming through the glass wall. Jacob was staring at me, his face just inches from mine. He was hunkered down on the floor beside the white couch I rested on.  
"Hey, sleepyhead. You ok this morning?" I could tell he was trying to sound cheerful, but the worry in his dark eyes counteracted his effort.  
"I...I guess so." I struggled to get into a sitting position, but Jake put his hands on my shoulders, pushing me back down.  
"I think you should take it easy for awhile," he said. "You had a pretty exciting day yesterday." He gave me a little half smile.  
"What happened last night?" I croaked. My voice sounded rusty, like I hadn't used it in years. "I remember you carrying me home last night...then...OH!" I exclaimed, as all the horror of last night came rushing back to me. The gift and note from Aro, racing back here to tell the rest of the family, then the odd darkness washing over me...the nothingness. I must have fainted. Weird. I'd never fainted before in my life. I began to shake as the implications of the gift from the Volturi caught up to me, and tears slid down my cheeks before I could stop them. Instantly, I was surrounded by my family, a dozen or more hands patting me and stroking me in an effort to calm and comfort me.  
"Nessie honey, it's going to be alright..."  
"You are safe with us, we won't let anything happen..."  
"We're going to figure this out..."  
"Please try not to worry..."  
"...love you so much sweetheart.."  
They all talked over one another, desperate to reassure me. "But what does it all mean? Why would Aro want to send me a birthday gift? I don't understand." I whispered

"Aro enjoys his subtle threats," my dad said through clenched teeth. His voice was cold and hard, sending a shiver down my spine. "We can only imagine he's trying to put a scare into us. It's most likely some form of perverse revenge for what happened between us in the clearing."  
"But Edward, surely you know that Aro must have some sort of agenda. He has never been one for empty threats, " Jasper said in a low voice.  
Jake glared at him. "Do you think maybe we could talk about this later?" he growled.  
"For once I agree with the dog," Rose said. "Nessie's been through enough already." She tossed her beautiful blonde hair over her shoulder.  
"Yes, Nessie darling, why don't you and I go into the kitchen so you can have some breakfast?" Grandma Esme gave me a sweet smile.  
"I'm not hungry. I want to know what's going on. Don't I have the right to know?" I was beginning to feel a little annoyed. I was frightened, yes, but wasn't I also an adult now? I didn't feel that now was the time for them to treat me like a small child, to be kept in the dark about something so important. My mother seemed to be warring with herself, a torn expression on her face. "Edward?..." She looked to him as if asking how they should proceed.  
"Jacob is right. There's no need to discuss this in front of Nessie." My dad's mouth was pressed into a hard line.  
"Edward, she's going to have to know what's going on sooner or later," Alice said. "We might as well go on and fill her in on what we talked about last night. Not that there's all that much to say. Besides, I don't see any immediate threat from the Volturi."  
"Yes, just as you didn't see someone leaving a present for my daughter at our cottage! The Volturi sent someone here, Alice, someone who was..." Dad glanced at me apprehensively, as if suddenly remembering I was there.  
"You know this isn't Alice's fault, Edward," Mom said gently. "We already decided what must have happened. At least, it's as good an answer as any, although we still don't know exactly who..." she trailed off, gazing out the back windows, a faraway look in her eyes.  
"At any rate, we should probably go ahead and tell Nessie what we've come up with," Uncle Emmett said. Dad was not pleased. He looked to Carlisle, who nodded slightly. "I see no harm in filling Nessie in on our theories, especially since Alice has seen no imminent threat. Go ahead Edward," he said almost grimly. Dad took a deep breath, then sat next to me on the sofa. "Nessie, we think it's a possibility that Aro may have sent a half human, half vampire here to leave your present, which would explain Alice's blindness. And after reading Aro's note, we also think he's had that person spying on us." He held my hands in his, trying to comfort me as he spoke, but his face was filled with a rage he was obviously struggling to control. "A half breed, like me?" I questioned. "But who could it possibly be? There aren't that many of us in the world are there?"

Jake seemed about to speak, but mashed his lips together as Dad gave him a scathing look. Defiance flashed across his face.  
"I can't bring myself to believe that Jacob. I think you should question your motives before you air your suspicions." Dad said cuttingly.  
"I don't have any motives!" Jake exploded. "It's the only thing that makes sense! I mean, how well do you know him anyway? Do you really have that much trust in him?" Jake sputtered.  
"Who are you talking about?" I demanded, but I had a sinking feeling that I already knew. "You're not talking about...No! Nahuel would never do something like that! You can't honestly believe he's in league with the Volturi!" I nearly shrieked.  
"We don't think that honey," Mom said in as calm a voice as she could muster, stroking my arm. Before she could say anything else, Jake rose to his feet and began pacing the room. "Think about it. It makes sense. He knows where the cottage is. He could easily have persuaded one of his sisters to come here and leave the gift. And think about all the time we spent with him in the Amazon a few months ago. He had access to all the information he needed. Couldn't he have sent word to Aro about our lives? I think he's the spy." His pacing quickened and I could tell he was growing angrier with each passing second.  
"Jacob, we went over this last night. As possible as it sounds, it just doesn't jibe with Nahuel's character." Carlisle reached out to touch Jake's shoulder, but Jake shook him off.  
"I think you're letting your emotions cloud your judgement, Jacob," Dad said. "Besides, there are others like Nessie and Nahuel in the world. And who's to say that Aro hasn't had some half vampires created over the years?"  
"I still think it's one of Nahuel's sisters," Emmett said, rubbing his chin pensively. "Caius did say at the confrontation that they might go track down Joham and have a "talk" with him. Maybe they decided to join forces," he said, beginning to pace along with Jake.  
"That is a very likely possibility, Emmett, although I can't understand where Aro could be going with this," Carlisle mused. "And we're not entirely sure it was a half vampire that left the gift. It's just a theory. A half vampire as the culprit would explain Alice's lack of sight, but we must take into consideration the lack of even a faint vampire scent….I'm sure Jacob would have picked up on any scent immediately, were that the case, as well as Edward and Bella when they arrived."  
"Yeah, but there were so many vampires here last night, Jake could have easily missed the scent, or confused it with someone else's," Emmett asserted.  
Carlisle rubbed his chin, deep in thought. "Perhaps. Maybe Aro sent a human to deliver the gift…but then, Alice would have seen that. We need to keep open minds and give this some more thought." He walked over to me, kissed me on the forehead, then retreated upstairs to his office. I stood up and stretched. "I need to go home and take a shower. I feel utterly gross," I said, glancing down at my rumpled dress and raking a hand through my messy bronze curls. "I bet I look pretty gross too," I tried to joke. My mom, dad, and Jake flew to my side in a heartbeat, Rose and Emmett close behind.  
"It's ok, Em, Rose," Dad said. "Bella, Jake and I will escort her home."  
Jake scooped me up, heading for the back door, Mom and Dad at his side. We flew home through the forest, and were there in about two seconds. After seeing me safely inside, Jake phased to run the perimeter with Embry, Quil, Leah, and Seth whom he'd apparently "called" last night when I was out of it. Exhaustion still filled me, right down to my bones. Not wanting to reveal to my parents exactly how terrified I was, I struggled to hide my thoughts and smiled wanly, giving them a little wave, and headed off to my bathroom to soak in the tub. Hopefully it would help to relax me and I could forget about life for a while.

I stared out the car window, watching the sheets of pouring rain soak into the already sodden green earth. What a rotten day, I thought. My life stinks. This was supposed to be one of the most exciting days of my life, starting high school and being a normal teenager, if only for a little while. "Normal" being the operative word. Nothing about my life is normal, I thought with disgust. I knew my father was listening to my thoughts, but I didn't care. He and my mom were in the back seat of my Grandpa Carlisle's car.  
It took Alice, Rosalie and me three hours to convince my parents to let me continue with the plan of starting high school. They had finally caved, with stipulations of course.  
"Remember to watch yourself, sweetie. You're not like other normal humans, you're a lot stronger," Mom reminded me for the umpteenth time.  
"We have gone over this like crazy," I said, my voice rising with frustration. " 'Don't give the other kids too many opportunities to ask questions, don't walk too fast, and don't touch anyone, so I won't show them my thoughts because that would not only creep them out, it would blow our cover.' Oh, and 'I'm special.' Did I forget anything?" I said, heavy on the sarcasm. Dad grumbled in the back seat. I knew he was displeased with the harsh tone of my voice. "Nessie, honey, they're just worried about you," Grandma Esme interjected, trying to soften the blow of my words. "Don't talk to your parents that way," she chided gently.  
"I'm sorry," I mumbled. "I just don't see how attending high school with my parents in the surrounding woods watching my every movement and listening to my thoughts all day is letting me experience a normal life. It's just not fair. It's downright embarrassing. Don't you trust me?" I said, the injustice evident in my voice.  
"Ness, trusting you isn't the issue here. We just want to make sure you're well protected if anything goes awry." Dad stated with authority. My mother caressed his hand, probably in hopes of erasing the wary expression from his face.  
The car came to a halt in front of the school. "You have your schedule and the map of the school?" Mom questioned.  
"Yes, Mom, I do." I said, wishing they would stop treating me like a child. I saw my dad frowning in response to my thoughts.  
"We love you Nessie. Have a good day at school." Mom looked like she was about ready to cry.  
"Try to relax and have some fun. Don't worry about anything," Dad encouraged.  
" I'll be here to pick you up as soon as school ends," Esme smiled sweetly. "We'll be looking forward to hearing about your day." I stepped out of the car and headed for the main doors. I could feel their eyes following me, and I was sure my dad was concentrating extra hard on my thoughts. I rolled my eyes. It was going to be a struggle to compose myself enough to "have a good day" and to "relax and have some fun", knowing my father would surely be tuning in to my mind all day and wondering if my mother had thrown her protective shield around the school yet. Yep, this is my life, I thought sardonically.


	6. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

I took a deep breath, pulled the double doors open, and stepped inside the school. I tried to put the weirdness of my life on the back burner for the moment. With a smile plastered on my face, I peered down the halls of my new school. My heart jumped in my chest at the sight of all the human kids, kids who were my age, or at least the age I was pretending to be. It was overwhelming, the noisy bustle of smiling teens, their excited chatter, the scent of their blood... for a split second I wondered what my parents were thinking right now, hoping my dad wouldn't rush in and change his mind about this decision. I must have looked like a frightened deer to them. Yummy, deer, my mind wandered. Catch yourself Ness, I said to myself. You don't want to disappoint the parentals, they'll take this all away if you can't get it together. I instantly composed myself.  
As I stood there, frozen like an idiot, a raven haired girl bounced over to me and grabbed me by the elbow (with much effort I might add), towing me over to her friends.  
" Hi! My name is Wren Taylor. You know, 'wren', like the bird…tweet, tweet!" she giggled. "I know, I know, my parents are hippie freaks." She rolled her eyes, but it was far from a sarcastic gesture. "You must be the new girl. Welcome to Forks High!" she gushed.  
"Um, yeah. Thanks. My name is Vanessa...Vanessa Wolfe," I stammered. " I go by 'Nessie' though," I added quickly

"What a cute name! These are my friends, Abby, Cynthia, and Marian," she said as she pointed each of them out to me.  
"Wow, you're gorgeous!" exclaimed Cynthia, a tiny girl with bouncy blonde curls. She reminded me a lot of Alice. I smiled sweetly at her, though my cheeks were reddening.  
"Cyn, don't embarrass her on her first day of school!" chided Wren. "Sorry, she's the bubbly one of our little group," Wren explained.  
"You have to sit with us at lunch and tell us all about yourself," Marian, a tall slim girl with long brown hair demanded.  
"O..okay." I was a little surprised that these girls had taken to me so quickly. I guess I shouldn't have been, though. Everyone I came in contact with seemed to be immediately drawn to me. My parents believed it had something to do with my special talent.  
I went over my schedule to distract myself. I'd already studied it 100 times, had already committed it to memory. Basic classes such as Trigonometry, Gym, Physics, Spanish, English and Home Economics. This is going to be a piece of cake, I thought, except I was a little leery about Home Economics. If this was some feeble attempt to get me to eat more human food, then my parents would be truly disappointed. It turned out that Wren, my new friend, was in four of my classes. The first half of the day flew by. I paid only scant attention to my teachers, already knowing most of what they were lecturing about. At lunch, Wren told me just how weird her parents were, informing me of their chosen lifestyle of vegetarianism. I fought to keep a smile off my face as I thought about how strange my vegetarian family was. If she only knew.

"I'm totally serious, they don't cook most of their food, they prefer to eat in the raw," she stated with disgust. " School is like my escape, I can eat whatever I want and not have to feel guilty about liking meat." She took a big bite out of a chicken sandwich. " My parents are like the hippies of the twenty-first century," she went on. "What about you Nessie, how weird are your parents?"  
Taking a deep breath, I launched into the practiced story about my "adoptive parents".  
"My guardians," I corrected her. " Dr. and Mrs. Cullen are very caring, they seem like real family to me," I said, not being able to conceal my smile this time. "They adopted me about two years ago when they were living in New York." The other girls nodded, already aware of Carlisle and Esme's well-known penchant for taking in unwanted children. We giggled and joked around all during lunch hour about the weirdness of Wren's family. I carefully avoided talking about my family as much as was possible.  
The day sped by so fast it was almost a blur. Entering my last class of the day, the suspicious Home Economics, I found Wren waiting at a small yellow counter in a tiny kitchenette. She was saving a seat for me, waving me over.  
"I picked yellow for us, if you don't mind. It's my fav," she grinned. I smiled back. I really liked Wren; we had more in common then she knew. The class started and Ms. Clerk began passing out a carton of eggs and bowls to each kitchenette as she explained our first assignment. We were going to learn the basics of cracking eggs. I thought this would be easy. I smirked and eagerly grabbed an egg, clutching it too tightly. It was instantly pulverized in the palm of my hand. The oozing membrane of the egg hit the counter. I pulled my hand away fast hoping no one had witnessed my brute strength.  
"What happened here?" Wren questioned.  
"I guess an egg fell out of the carton." I answered lamely.  
"Ms. Clerk, we need a spatula over here pronto!" Wren hollered. "We've had major crack- age! We could probably save this fellow with the right amount of heat and some skilled skillet procedures," she joked. We both started giggling so hard we couldn't contain ourselves. Ms. Clerk didn't appreciate the interruption. Wren reminded me so much of my Jake and the way we often goofed around. My mind drifted to what he might possibly be doing now without me around. We were hardly ever apart. A little wave of sadness washed over me.

Esme was right on time to pick me up from school. I knew I was going to be asked a lot of questions from all of my family members about my first day. I was excited to tell them about it. The fact that my parents had been patrolling the woods all day had completely slipped my mind until I heard them discussing eggs, how much my mother used to love my dad's ability to fix a mean omelet. A rush of anger came over me as I realized that every moment of my day was tainted by the fact that my parents already knew everything. My cheeks flamed. At that moment I had an epiphany: I'd give them the silent treatment. Dad, at least, already knew everything that went down at school anyway, so there was no point in me saying a word.  
"How was your day sweetheart?" Grandma asked.  
"Fine," I said curtly.  
"You handled yourself very well today, Nessie. I'm proud of you," Dad said.  
"Hmm hmmm hmmm," I hummed. "Did you hear something Grandma? I sure didn't." I announced. I knew I was behaving childishly, but I didn't care.  
"Uh-oh, looks like we're the bad guys now, love. She isn't speaking to us." Dad informed Mom. They rolled their eyes in unison. Complete silence filled the car for the rest of the ride home.

Jake came over to the cottage to spend some time with me after leaving the perimeter under Leah's command. He was every enthusiastic to hear about my day, and was also excited to share some news with me: my dad had just finalized the purchase of an empty warehouse right across the highway from the school that very morning, and Jake was going to turn it into a garage. That way he'd be close to me while being able to work on cars every day, something he truly loved doing. He told me that he'd been nervous having me out of his sight all day, even though my parents had been right there in the woods, as well as my aunts and uncles, who'd traded shifts. I was very happy for him, and, I had to admit, a little relieved. I always felt better when Jake was near. I shared my day with him, telling him about Wren and all my classes. We laughed about my little accident in Home Ec., and how I'd had to restrain myself in Gym. I could have easily blown all the other kids out of the water during our game of basketball with my superior strength, but of course I couldn't do that. It was a little annoying. We talked for what seemed like hours until I noticed Jake was fighting to stay awake. He finally nodded off on the small couch in our living room, and I let him sleep, nestling in beside him. It was comforting to be by his side. He was the only person I truly shared everything with. I was glad he was a part of my life.  
Weeks passed, and I was adjusting to school extremely well. I enjoyed all of my classes, with the exception of Home Economics. Wren helped me in this class immensely, taste-testing all of our assigned dishes, making sure everything was prepared to perfection. I was getting control of my egg cracking abilities too. My grades were above reproach, to say the least, and I was thrilled that my social life had taken off as it had. I'd never had this much interaction with so many humans before, aside from the Quileutes and Grandpa Charlie. Before I knew it, I had so many friends I could barely keep up with them all. I was turning into quite the social butterfly. My school experience was definitely turning out to be more than I had expected. Things were going great for me, other than the continuing spat with my parents.

As I was eating breakfast one Saturday morning, I was smoldering over the fact that I hadn't been allowed to go shopping for school clothes any further than Port Angeles. I was expecting to have a girl's day out, just me, Mom, Alice and Rose. The plan was derailed quickly after I'd received that ominous note from Aro. I had to try on clothes with Uncle Emmett and my father right in the same store, watching for danger. What danger?, I thought churlishly. We hadn't heard anything from the Volturi in weeks, and yet I was still being treated like a child. I was frightened at the thought that some stranger had left a gift for me right outside my home, but I couldn't help but feel that my parents and family were going a little overboard with the whole protection bit. I felt the blood drain from my face as the fear and anger slid down into the pit of my stomach, ruining my appetite. I dropped my spoon and slowly pushed myself away from the table. My parents entered the room and Dad said, "We want to call a truce, Ness. Your mother and I have been talking things over and have decided to ease up on you a bit. But you have to understand, we are just so worried about you, we will always want to watch over you."  
"Nessie, we love you so much, more than anything else in the world. We just want to make sure you're well protected at all costs. I don't know what we'd do if something happened to you," Mom interjected softly, a slight quiver in her voice. Their loving, concerned expressions sent a wave of guilt crashing over me. I knew I'd been wrong for the way I'd been acting, and there was no justification for it. I ran into my parents' arms with shame burning my cheeks. We embraced each other for a long time.  
"I'm sorry," I muttered, while pulling away and wiping the tears from my eyes. "I know you've just been doing what you think is best for me. I'm sorry I've acted so horribly." I couldn't seem to meet their eyes.

"We have a peace offering for you," Mom said, trying to lighten the atmosphere while holding out a small envelope to me. Unworthy excitement shot through my body. My parents had spoiled me rotten and I always expected gifts from them. I took the envelope a little guiltily and tore it open to find a small, hard plastic card. Imprinted on it was my name and a recent photo of me. In large green lettering at the top, it read, 'Washington Drivers License'.  
"I get to start driving?" I squealed with delight. All the bad feelings fled from me in the excitement of the moment.  
"Yes, your mother and I thought letting you drive yourself to school would be a good way to give you a small measure of freedom," Dad said, putting his arm around my shoulders. "However, we'll still be keeping watch in the woods around the school." He gave me a stern look.  
"I understand. I don't expect you to let up off me completely." I gave Dad his own crooked smile. He threw back his head and laughed.  
"I believe Jacob has a surprise for you too," Mom said, leading me out the front door toward the main house. Jake was there in the clearing out front, standing beside a small red car. He whistled a happy little tune, running his hand down the length of the hood.  
"Oh hey, Ness," he said nonchalantly, leaning against the driver's side door. "Like my new paint job? Your dad had it spiffed up for me a few days ago."  
"Yes, Jake, I like it a lot. It looks great!" I enthused. "What's the occasion?"  
"Well, I guess Edward didn't like the thought of his daughter driving a raggedy, primer patched car around town, so…" He grinned, flashing a mouthful of beautiful teeth at me. His smile warmed me all the way down to my toes.

"I get to drive the Rabbit?" I squealed. I bounded down the porch steps, coming to a halt in front of Jake. I was a little disappointed that I wouldn't be able to drive one of the flashier cars in the garage, setting my hopes up just a tad for my mom's Ferrari in particular, but I completely understood the need to blend in. Jake's car was perfect for that.  
"Yep, and I'm going to teach you how. I bought you a copy of 'Driving For Dummies'. It's in the front seat," he gestured lazily toward the passenger side. I gave him a little shove, then clapped my hands. I couldn't wait to start driving!  
"Now don't go too far from the house Jake," Mom warned.  
"We're only going up and down the driveway, Bells. Jeesh," Jake rolled his eyes and opened the door for me. I eagerly climbed in and strapped on my seatbelt. How hard could this be?  
Not hard at all, apparently. This was largely due to the fact that I had Jake for a teacher. He was very patient and kind, going over again and again the rules of driving, showing me different techniques such as parking and going in reverse, as well as how to use all the signals and controls.  
After a couple of hours of this, we decided to take a break. We were parked in the drive about halfway between the large white house and the highway, relaxing and listening to the stereo in comfortable silence.  
"Hey, didya get to see my cool new license?" I reached into my back pocket and handed it to him.  
"Nice. It looks just like you," he grinned.  
"Yeah, I just hope it will pass inspection, should the need arise," I said sarcastically, knowing full well that it would. My family used one of the best forgers in the business, a man named J. Jenks who was based in Seattle. He'd also created a birth certificate and passport for me under the name of Vanessa Wolfe years ago.  
"Don't worry, I'm sure Charlie will have your back if you're ever pulled over. Which is entirely likely with the way you drive," Jake said, poking me in the ribs.

"Ha ha, you're so funny." I swatted his shoulder.  
"You truly are a beautiful woman, Nessie," he said, his voice suddenly lower and more serious, still staring at my license. He turned to me, that strange sparkle back in his eyes, his burning gaze seeming to reach all the way to my soul. An odd tingling sensation started in the pit of my stomach and my breathing sped. Jake reached out to stroke my face gently from my forehead down to my jaw. My face flushed at the now familiar trail of heat left behind from his fingertips. He leaned in closer, slowly closing the space between us, a look of pure intensity on his face. What is he doing? I thought a little crazily. Is he going to kiss me? His face inches from mine, I was suddenly sure this was exactly what he was going to do, and I didn't know if I was ready for it, or if I wanted it at all.  
"Jake…I.." I whispered.  
He froze and pulled away from me stiffly, arranging himself back in his seat.  
"Guess we'd better get back before Edward sends out a search party," he said dejectedly.  
My hand shook as I turned the key in the ignition, my whole body feeling jittery. My earlier suspicions had been confirmed. I hadn't imagined the way I'd felt the morning of my birthday when Jake had first begun to act differently around me. He was definitely interested in taking our friendship to the next level, but was I? We'd been friends for so long, for my whole life in fact. He was my best friend, the greatest, most loyal friend I'd ever known, and if any of that were to change now…I wasn't sure how I felt. I needed to talk to someone about this, but who? I was way too embarrassed to talk to my dad, for he surely knew what was in Jake's thoughts already. Which led me to wonder, why hadn't my dad murdered Jake yet? I was glad he hadn't of course, but still. I thought back to the day of my party, to the look on Jake's face when he'd been watching me and Nahuel, the way my dad had shook with silent laughter. I was now positive that Jake had been seething with jealousy. Dad hadn't seemed at all surprised….hmmm. And then there was Mom. I'd never felt the need to keep anything from her before, but then again, I'd never felt this way until now. Would it be too embarrassing to confess to her what had almost happened between Jake and I? The confusion roiled around inside my head, and I struggled to concentrate on my driving. When we had come to a stop in front of the house, I had decided who I would go to for advice: Leah.


	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

"Did you guys hear the news?" Wren said breathlessly, flopping down next to me at our table in the cafeteria. She shrugged out of her large coat and hung it on the back of her seat. It was a few weeks into November, and the weather had abruptly turned colder.  
"No, do tell," Marian leaned forward, anxious to hear some gossip. I could have cared less about the latest school news. I was still reeling from the past weekend with Jake. It was all I could seem to think about. I was even dreaming about him, for crying out loud. Except in my dreams, we actually did kiss, and it was…well, it was fantastic. I sighed and tried to pay attention to what was going on with my new friends, biting absently into a banana. Bleh. Not one of my favorites.  
"We're gonna be getting a new student tomorrow! My parents overheard the Greeleys talking in the store yesterday, and apparently they'd decided to participate in a student exchange with some family in London. Can't say I'll be sad to see Jack Greeley leave Forks." Wren's parents had just opened up a health food store in one of the shopping centers down the highway from the school.  
"Who's Jack Greeley?" I asked.  
"Oh, just a major loser we've all know since kindergarten," sniffed Marion. "No one likes him. All he ever wants to do anymore is get wasted. I guess his parents got tired of it so they decided to ship him off," she concluded.  
"I feel sorry for him," Abby said quietly.  
"Are you kidding me? Don't you remember what he did to your parents' car last spring?" Marian demanded incredulously. Abby didn't respond, she simply looked down at her tray of food, sipping at her orange juice. I had no idea what all that was about.  
"So, what's the new kid's name?" I asked, trying to change the subject. Wren shrugged her shoulders.  
"I have no idea. All I know is it's a guy."  
"I hope he's hot," Cynthia sighed, a starry look in her eyes.

Marian snorted. "That won't be a problem. You think every guy on the planet is hot." The girls began to rib one another, giggling and gossiping about the potential looks of the soon-to-be-newcomer. I doubted this new boy would be able to impress me with his appearance. I came from the world of the supernatural, where beauty is the norm for our kind. Jake's face flashed across my mind in that moment. I had no idea why. Ugh! I wish I could stop thinking about him for a little while.  
"You ok, Nessie?" Wren put her hand on my shoulder. "You seem kind of out of it today."  
"I'm ok," I assured her with a quick smile. I wished more than anything that I could talk to Wren about the situation with Jake, but I knew it was impossible. "I guess I just didn't sleep well last night," I finished lamely.  
The rest of the day passed uneventfully. I headed to the parking lot when school ended and got behind the wheel of Jake's Rabbit. My parents would be waiting for me to pick them up a couple of miles down the road from the school, as was the new plan we'd come up with last night. Since Jake's car didn't have tinted windows, it would be harder to conceal my parents in the backseat. I spotted Jake standing in the doorway of his new garage across the road, wiping his hands on a towel. He waved to me, and I smiled and waved back. I pulled off the highway into the thick forest, and my parents quickly climbed in the backseat.  
"Did you have a good day honey?" Mom asked. I looked pointedly at Dad. Hadn't he already told her everything that had happened?  
"I've been trying to stay out of your head for most of the day, Nessie, as well as the heads of your friends. I have to say though, Wren seems like a nice girl. She has a very free-spirited, open mind," Dad said pensively.  
"Yeah, that's 'cause her parents are hippies," I stated, pulling back out onto the highway. "So, did you um…"hear" anything at lunchtime?" I asked a little nervously. I'd done my best to conceal my thoughts about Jake around my father, but I'm sure some of it had slipped through.  
Dad sighed. "I'm doing my best to afford you as much privacy as possible while still trying to make sure you're safe. Believe me, it's not easy," he said, sounding exasperated.  
"I know that Dad. I know you would never invade my privacy on purpose," I assured him.  
He and Mom talked quietly amongst themselves the rest of the way home.  
When we got to the main house, I noticed Sam's car parked in the drive.  
"What's Sam doing here?" I wondered aloud.  
"He brought Emily over so Carlisle could examine her. She's a few months along in her pregnancy now," Dad told me.

I hugged Emily as soon as we were inside. "How are you doing?" I asked, glancing down at her burgeoning belly. "Wow, you're already starting to show," I gasped.  
"Yes," she said quietly, smiling and gently patting her abdomen. "Seems like this baby is going to be a big one."  
Sam grinned as he put his arms around her, and kissed her softly on the cheek. "I can't wait until the little guy decides to come out and join us."  
"Yeah, me too," Emily grinned back, rolling her eyes. "Pregnancy is certainly no picnic in the park. The morning sickness, the backaches, the heartburn…ugh. I sure won't miss any of it."  
"It will all be worth it in the end," Mom assured her, gazing at me lovingly.  
"I can't even imagine what it must be like to have a little person growing inside you," I marveled. "Has Carlisle examined you yet? Is the baby ok?"  
"We actually just got here. Esme went upstairs to get Carlisle. Nessie, would you like to come up with us and watch my ultrasound?" Emily offered.  
"Oh, could I? That would be wonderful!" I clasped my hands together in excitement.  
"Sure," Emily laughed. "I'd love that."  
Sam tried to carry Emily up the stairs, but she waved him off. "I can walk. I'm not that helpless, not yet anyway." She smiled at him lovingly.  
"I know, I know. I'm just worried about you, honey. You've been so tired lately, and you're not even that far along. Be sure to tell Carlisle exactly how you've been feeling lately, ok?" He caressed her face and kissed each of her cheeks.  
"I will Sam. Now try not to worry. I'm sure everything's fine," she soothed.

Sam ignored her protests when Carlisle asked her to lie down on the examination table, scooping her up and laying her down carefully.  
Carlisle asked Emily some questions, and she answered with as much detail as possible. He nodded while he jotted everything down in a chart he'd made for her.  
"Is it normal for her to be so tired all the time, Doc?" Sam questioned.  
"Different women experience a multitude of symptoms, in varying degrees. I'll know more after I've examined her and given her an ultrasound." Carlisle asked Sam and me to step out of the room for just a few minutes while he did his examination. We were allowed to come back in when he was ready to do the ultrasound. He squirted some clear, gooey stuff on Emily's exposed belly, then began running a paddle-like device over the top of it. A strange sound filled the room, a sound that was a cross between a galloping horse and the noise you hear when you put a seashell up to your ear. Carlisle smiled at Emily. "Your baby has a strong heartbeat." Tears formed in Emily's eyes as she smiled happily. "Will I be able to see him, Carlisle?" He nodded and fiddled with some dials and buttons on the little monitor standing beside the bed. "Hmmm," he said quietly, a slight frown forming on his face.  
"What's wrong Doc? Is the baby ok?" Sam asked frantically.  
Carlisle held up one finger, indicating that Sam should be patient for a moment. Sam shifted his weight from foot to foot anxiously.  
"Interesting," Carlisle muttered to himself. He stared at the monitor intently. "I'm detecting two…no three separate heartbeats." His eyes widened as he looked at Emily, then at Sam. "It appears that you are pregnant with triplets. See here?" He directed out attention to the screen on the monitor, pointing out three little kidney-like shapes, each with a pulsing shape in it's center. Sam gawked at the screen for a moment, then clapped his hands together with such force that it made me jump slightly.

Woo hoo!" he exclaimed. "I can't believe it! Three babies! Hot dog!" He bent down and kissed Emily enthusiastically. Emily looked to be in shock. She blinked several times, then began crying profusely.  
"Baby, what's wrong?" Sam took her hand, and patted her arm soothingly with his free hand.  
"Nothing," she sobbed. "I'm just…so…happy," she managed to say. Sam laughed, his whole body shaking with nervous excitement. Carlisle took some more notes after measuring the babies' lengths and heart rates, announcing to Sam and Emily that the fetuses all appeared to be normal and healthy. "This certainly explains your tiredness," he said, turning to Emily once again. "Mothers who carry twins and triplets tend to experience an exaggeration of the normal symptoms that mothers carrying one baby have. I suggest you rest often. Eat small, healthy meals throughout the day, and try not to do any heavy lifting."  
"She won't have to do a thing," Sam asserted. "She can lie in bed all day. I'll bring all her meals to her, do the cleaning-"  
"She needs to get some exercise too, Sam," Carlisle interjected. "She should try to take a walk every day, at least fifteen to twenty minutes."  
Sam nodded. He was all seriousness now. "Will carrying three babies…make it more difficult for her to give birth?" He asked.  
"Delivering three babies is not very different from delivering one. As long as there are no complications with the pregnancy, I foresee no problems. I'll be monitoring her closely, Sam. Try not to worry," Carlisle assured him. He handed Emily a towel so she could wipe the goo from her belly. After Sam lifted her from the table, I embraced her carefully. "Oh, Em, I'm so happy for you," I enthused. "Three babies…wow. You're going to be driven nuts!" We shared a laugh, and after Carlisle was satisfied that they had no more questions for him, we went downstairs to share the good news with everyone else. After much hugging, kissing, and congratulations, Sam helped Emily into his car, and they drove away.

Man, I'm glad Leah wasn't here, I couldn't help thinking. As happy as I was for Sam and Emily, I knew the latest news would not go over well with her. She was at Grandpa Charlie's house right now, visiting Sue while Charlie was at work. She still wasn't thrilled about their marriage, opting to visit her mom when he wasn't around. Seth was living with them for now, having taken over my mom's old bedroom. It was awfully convenient that Leah hadn't been around for Emily's appointment with Carlisle. Someone must have prearranged the whole set-up. I was glad for it. Leah had enough on her plate to deal with. And, I thought a little guiltily, I was going to be dropping even more on it very soon.

Later that evening, as I lay across my bed staring at the homework I was supposed to be doing, I thought about how to broach the subject of Jake to Leah. I wasn't good at this kind of thing, talking about my feelings with others. Maybe I'd just show her what I was thinking, as well as everything that had happened between Jake and I. Which isn't much, I thought. Yes, that's what I'd do, I decided. I'd simply touch her face and let her see everything for herself. A light knocking on my door caused me to plant a look of concentration on my face, to make it look like I was working hard.  
"Ness? It's Jake. Can I come in?" His husky voice sent a thrill racing up my spine. I jumped off the bed and opened my door.  
"Hey Jake, what's up?" I tried to sound nonchalant, but didn't quite make it due to some slight breathlessness.  
"I just wanted to come by and let you know that I'm heading over to Billy's for a while so I can get some sleep. And to say 'goodnight'," he added. He turned to go, but I grabbed his arm to stop him.  
"Are you ok?" I asked. He looked utterly exhausted.  
"Yeah, just a little tired I guess." He gave me a small smile.  
"Isn't it great about Sam and Emily?" I asked him, hoping to prolong the conversation.  
"Yeah, it's awesome. I'm really happy for them, they're going to be great parents," he answered.  
"Um, Jake, about the other day…" I began, absently biting one of my rock hard fingernails.  
"What about it?" He gently pulled my hand away from my mouth, but instantly dropped it, as if he were afraid to touch me. That stung.  
"Nothing," I mumbled, "Goodnight." I closed my bedroom door softly and crawled into bed, anxious for sleep.


	8. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

The next day at school, my friends and I were gathered on the sidewalk in front of the gym. Wren was in the middle of telling us about the disgusting meal her mom had prepared for dinner last night when Cynthia cut her off mid-sentence.  
"Well well well," she breathed, gawking toward the parking lot. "Seems like we're getting our first look at Mr. London." We all turned to stare at the boy who was leaning lazily against a blue Volkswagon GTI, looking around as if he was searching for someone. Before any of us could say anything, Cynthia began jumping up and down, waving him over to us. He smiled shyly, and made his way to where we were standing, slinging his backpack over his shoulder. "Mm, mm, mm," Cynthia said under her breath right before he reached us. "Hello!" she said loud enough for him to hear, "You must be the new guy. Welcome to Washington!"  
I giggled, covering my mouth with my hand. Cynthia sure was a riot.  
"Hello ladies. My name is Kade," he said, looking at each of us in turn.  
"I'm Cynthia, and this is Wren, Marian, Abby and Nessie," she gushed. "I just love your accent!"  
"Thank you. It's nice to meet all of you." He had a nice, quiet voice, and I noticed that he wasn't too bad on the eyes either. For a human anyway. "Would one of you mind showing me where the administration office is?" He looked at me as he said this, but Cynthia grabbed his arm and began towing him toward the main office.  
"I'd be glad to! You're going to love it here, I just know it. So, tell me all about yourself," she chirped.  
"God, Cyn, way to be," Marian muttered under her breath.

The first bell rang and we all headed off to our respective classes. Later, during English period, I noted the excited buzz of the students around me. It apparently concerned Kade, because as soon as he entered the room, the buzzing stopped and all eyes turned to stare at him. I felt a little sympathy for him, having been a new kid myself not long ago. At least I had a slight advantage though. He unfortunately didn't possess my gift of drawing people in. Or maybe he did, in at least some small measure, I thought, as I looked around the room and noticed that all the girls seemed to have the same dreamy looks in their eyes when they stared at him. Poor kid, he's going to get eaten alive, I thought, trying to stifle a smile. He found an empty seat, which happened to be directly behind mine. The teacher called the class to order, announcing that we were going to be starting a new unit on poetry. I instantly perked up and paid attention to the lecture. We were starting with Tennyson! My day began to look brighter.  
"I love Tennyson," I heard Kade whisper to himself. I doubted anyone else had heard him, but I turned slightly in my seat to address him.  
"Are you kidding? Tennyson is my favorite!" I stage-whispered to him.  
"Oops. Didn't know anyone heard me," he smiled.  
"Oh, don't worry, I've got supersonic hearing," I half-joked. Mr. Bartlett looked sharply in our direction, so I faced forward and focused on the lesson for the rest of class. As soon as the bell rang, I stood to gather my books and jacket. Kade sidled up next to me as we walked out the door into the drizzling rain.  
"It's Nessie, right?" He smiled at me, revealing a mouthful of perfect white teeth.  
"Yes," I smiled back.  
"Sorry, I know we just met a few hours ago, but I'm horrible at names. Your name sounds unique though, I don't believe I've ever heard it before."  
"Well, my real name is Vanessa. Nessie's just a nickname." I flipped up the hood of my jacket. The rain never really bothered me, but I had to keep up appearances.

"It's nice, I like it." We walked slowly toward the cafeteria, and I noticed several girls eyeing Kade appreciatively.  
"Thanks. So, how are you liking Forks so far?" I asked.  
"It's not so different from London, actually. It buckets down there a lot too," he shrugged.  
"Excuse me?" I laughed.  
"Oh, sorry. What I meant was, it rains there a lot too. So, how long have you lived here?"  
"Not long," I sighed. This was the worst part of school. I hated having to lie, though I knew it was necessary. "I moved here a couple of months ago with my adoptive parents, Carlisle and Esme." Keep it short and simple, I reminded myself.  
"Oh, you're adopted? Where are your real parents? If you don't mind my asking," he added quickly.  
I smiled reassuringly. "It's ok. I don't mind talking about it. I never knew my real parents, I've been in the foster care system for most of my life. Carlisle and Esme found me in New York, where I was living in a sort of halfway house."  
"So, are they not able to drop a tog of their own? I'm sorry, I know I'm prying."  
"It's ok. I'm not really sure if they can have kids on their own or not. All I know is that they'd lived here in Forks several years ago, with five children they'd adopted. Those kids grew up, moved out, and started their own lives. I imagine Carlisle and Esme must have been suffering from "empty nest syndrome", that's why they adopted me." I felt a small twinge of sadness as I repeated the story my family and I had gone over many times. I had the best parents in the world, and I truly felt sympathy for kids out there who really didn't have any parents. I worked to keep the smile on my face as I wracked my brain for a subject change.  
"Are they good people?" He seemed honestly interested in hearing about my life, more so than anyone else I'd met here at school. My simple explanations seemed to be enough to satisfy most of the students. It seemed to me that once most kids heard I was "adopted", they were reluctant to question me any further, perhaps out of fear of offending me. Kade was different. He wasn't being pushy or intrusive, he was just being curious. I sighed again.  
"Yes, they're both wonderful. I couldn't have asked for two better people in my life." At least this statement was honest.  
"You're really lucky they took you in, then. From what I understand, most people who adopt want babies." We were halfway to the cafeteria now, and I didn't know how much longer I could keep up this conversation.  
"Well, I think Carlisle and Esme must have a heart for teens or something." I shifted my backpack to my other shoulder. Of course, I could have carried it for a week on that shoulder if I had to, but I had to keep practicing ordinary human habits.  
"So Tennyson, huh?" Poetry was something I could talk about all day.  
"Yes," he grinned, then cleared his throat.  
"For her the showers shall not fall,  
Nor the round sun shine that shineth to all;  
Her light shall into darkness change;  
For her the green grass shall not spring,  
Nor the rivers flow, nor the sweet birds sing,  
Till Love have his full revenge."

"Burial of Love," I said happily. "That's one of my favorites." For some strange reason, his recitation had sent a little shiver down my spine. Maybe it was the rich tones of his smooth voice, which had deepened and grown more serious, or maybe it was simply the content of the poem itself.  
We'd reached the door of the cafeteria. He opened it for me, gesturing for me to go ahead. We walked together through the food line, chatting about poetry, then made our way over to the table I normally sat at with Wren and the others.  
"Would you like to sit with us today?" I asked politely.

"Yes, if you ladies wouldn't mind." He gave each of the girls a charming smile.  
"Oh, we wouldn't mind a bit!" Cynthia exclaimed. She patted the empty seat next to hers, but Kade opted to sit beside me. Cynthia didn't look pleased.  
"How has your first day been so far?" She asked sweetly, leaning in toward him.  
Kade opened his carton of milk, sipping slowly. "Pretty good I guess. I may stick around here for a while."  
Cynthia threw back her head and laughed like she'd just heard the funniest joke in her life.  
They bantered back and forth for a bit, and I began to see that Kade considered himself a ladies' man. He exuded confidence, and obviously had no problem in the self-esteem department. He leaned back in his chair lackadaisically, as if he owned the world. I again noticed dozens of female eyes trained on him, and he apparently noticed as well. He'd turn in his seat from time to time, casting his charming smile around the room to the obvious delight of the various recipients. He slung one arm casually over the back of my seat, placing his hand on my shoulder, and asked, "What do you girls get into around here for fun?"  
"There's not that much to do in Forks, so we usually head up to Port Angeles. There are a couple of movie theaters there, a mall, a bowling alley, and some cool little coffee house- type places to hang out," Wren informed him.  
"Hmm," he responded. Turning to me, he said in a lazy tone, "Maybe I'll take you to one of those coffee places sometime, Nessie, so we can talk more about poetry," eyeing me meaningfully.  
Cynthia looked like she wished she could shoot laser beams from her eyes at me. Uh-oh. This was not good. Kade was starting to show some interest in me, an interest that seemed like he wanted to be more than friends. Great. Like I needed any more guy drama to pile on my plate. I had enough to deal with at the moment, especially with the whole Jake thing, and I couldn't deny that there might possibly be something between Nahuel and I. Besides, I wasn't attracted to Kade in the least. Not only was he not my type, he was human. I didn't want to become romantically involved with a human, even if it were only a trivial high school fling. My mother and father had made their relationship work of course, but that had been a unique situation, one that had nearly cost my mother her life. And I believed to the core of my being that they'd been destined for one another, that nothing could have ever kept them apart. True soul mates. I doubted very seriously that I would find my match in such a cocky person.

Only a few seconds had passed while these thoughts raced through my mind, so there was hardly any pause in the conversation.  
"Umm….maybe," I said hesitantly. Kade frowned slightly. He must not be used to being turned down. Well, as they say, there's a first time for everything, I thought, a little smugly. I had been told from as far back as I could remember that I was beautiful and special, but I hadn't let it go to my head as Kade had seemed to. Being surrounded by gorgeous creatures as I had been for my entire life made beauty seem mundane. I had grown adept at seeing past physical beauty, become de-sensitized to it. I tended to look within people, to flesh out personalities, to seek out unique character. This human boy was showing me nothing special.  
"Hey guys, I'll catch up to you later, 'kay? I need to go talk to Ms. Goff about something," I rose from my chair and gathered up my belongings.  
"See ya, Ness," Wren waved.  
"Bye, Nessie," Abby said.  
"Catch ya later." Cynthia shot another withering look at me before turning her attention back to Kade.  
Kade merely nodded at me. I waved and smiled at them, hurrying to get away from the petty problem. I didn't want Cynthia to be angry with me, but I couldn't worry about her right now. I was busy thinking of a way I could get Leah alone to show her what was on my mind about Jake and I. I had put it off for too long, and I resolved to remedy that situation tonight. 


	9. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

On the drive home that afternoon, my parents were discussing their hunting plans for the afternoon.  
"Why don't you go ahead and go with Rose and Emmett, love," Dad said, squeezing Mom's hand. "I'll stay home with Nessie, and then I'll go out with Carlisle and Esme in a few days."  
"Edward, you should go first. It's been so long since you've hunted," Mom said gently. They were both still reluctant to go very far from me, even though it had been a couple months since my birthday. Jake wouldn't be closing down the garage until five o'clock, so I decided to snag this opportunity.  
"Why don't you both go tonight? Leah can come sit with me until you get back, or until Jake gets off work," I suggested.  
"I don't know," Mom said hesitantly.  
"Mom, I've been dying to talk to Leah since we got back. We really haven't had the chance to catch up with everything that's been going on, and me being so busy with school." I was trying very hard to concentrate on questions I was planning to ask Leah about her time at college so the more important things I wanted to talk to her about wouldn't be at the forefront of my mind. Despite my efforts, Dad picked up that I was hiding something.  
"I think that would be fine, don't you Bella?" Dad winked at me in the rearview mirror, and we shared a smile. I was positive that he had a good idea of what I was going to discuss with Leah, but he was being cool and giving me some privacy and space.  
"Well, if you think it's alright…," Mom said, the little pucker between her brows in evidence.  
"Quil, Embry and Seth are well able to handle the perimeter for a few hours. Nessie will be fine in Leah's care," Dad assured her.  
"Yeah Mom, you're not going to be gone that long," I piped in. "Besides, I don't need a babysitter anyway. I mean, what am I, seven years old or something?" I grinned.  
"Very funny Nessie." She finally agreed to the arrangement, and I sighed with relief. Thanks Dad, you're the best, I thought to him. He smiled warmly at me again, then began chatting with Mom about other things.

"Hey Ness, what's up? Your dad said you needed to talk to me," Leah said as I opened the front door of the cottage for her.  
"Hey Leah, thanks for coming. Let's go out to the garden," I suggested. We sat down in the blue and white striped chairs next to the little pond. I wasn't sure how to begin, so I asked her about college life, her studies, boys, the whole bit. She had enjoyed her time there immensely, doing well in her classes and getting her fill of life in the city. She was very proud to have acquired her nursing license, following in her mom's footsteps. She was planning on applying for a job at the hospital here in Forks as soon as the tense situation surrounding me eased up a little. As for boys, she didn't say much on the subject, so I didn't push it.  
I took a deep breath. "Leah, I've got a problem, and I need your advice."  
"I'm flattered Nessie, but don't you think your mom might be better suited to help you than me?"  
"I didn't want to bother her with this right now, what with her being so worried about me. It's nothing major anyway, just something I need help figuring out," I said, looking down and picking at my fingernails. "Besides, it's sort of embarrassing….".  
"Ah, I see. Boy trouble. What's going on?" She leaned toward me, patting my knee sympathetically.  
"Well, um…it's er…about Jake," I said softly, cheeks flaming.  
Leah straightened up automatically. "Tell me."  
"It's complicated. Can I just show you?" I asked.  
She nodded, and I lay my hand against her cheek. I thought back to the morning of my birthday, about the look in Jake's eyes and the way he'd softly kissed my forehead. I thought about the way I'd felt, the confusion as well as the excitement. I recalled Jake's face when he'd watched Nahuel and me, and, reluctantly, the interaction between Jake and Leah, and the jealousy that had run through me. I knew very well that Leah had a temper, and wasn't sure how she'd react to seeing this memory. To my surprise, she laughed.  
My hand dropped from her face. "You…you're not mad about that?" I whispered.  
"Nessie, you have nothing to worry about. I can see from your memories the way we must have looked, why you thought we were flirting, but please. Just please. I have no romantic feelings toward Jake whatsoever, and I know for a fact that he doesn't feel that way about me either. We've grown close since I joined his pack, but he's more like a little brother to me. An annoying little brother, sometimes. We understand each other, that's all. Bleh," she mock shuddered, "I can't imagine feeling anything more for Jake. Sorry, no offense." She was fighting to keep the smile from her face. After a short pause, she said softly, "Besides, I can't seem to shake my feelings for Sam," a wave of sadness passing over her face. I felt a stab of pity for her. I couldn't imagine what she'd gone through over the years, still harboring a deep love for Sam, having to see him happily married to her cousin, now with a baby on the way.  
"That's not all though." I reached over to touch her face again, hoping to distract her from her sadness for the moment. I showed her what had happened the day Jake had been teaching me how to drive, how he'd almost kissed me.  
"Wow," she said, her eyes widening. "You have had a lot to think over, huh? Seems like your relationship with Jake has taken a turn."  
"Yes," I sighed. "I don't know how I feel about it all. I love Jake, he's my best friend and I don't want that to change. But…it might have been nice to kiss him." This was hard for me to admit, but talking to Leah about it was way less embarrassing than I imagined it would have been talking to my mom about it.  
"Nessie, you need to do some serious thinking. Search your heart. It seems to me that maybe you wanted Jake to kiss you, and then your feelings of jealousy over him and me, and the way you feel every time he touches you…well, those are the kinds of things that friends don't experience with one another. Maybe you and Jake could talk about it, tell each other how you really feel," she advised.  
"But what if we decide to take our relationship to the next level, then something happens between us, we break up, and then our friendship is ruined?" I blurted.  
"Whoa, whoa whoa," she said, holding her palms out toward me. "Take it slow, one step at a time. Talk to Jake first, find out how he feels, then go from there." A weird look came into her eyes, one I couldn't quite identify. "You have no idea how lucky you are, Ness."

"What do you mean?" I queried.  
"I don't know. I guess I just wish that I could imprint on someone, or someone would imprint on me, so that my love life would be secured."  
My head snapped up and I looked at her sharply. "Leah, what are you talking about?"  
Confusion colored her features, then horrified understanding.  
"Oh…oh my God, Nessie, I'm sorry. I thought you knew. You didn't know?" She looked panicked.  
"Know what?" I demanded.  
"That…that Jake imprinted on you…," she trailed off in a whisper.


	10. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

"WHAT!" I shouted. I jumped from my chair so fast that it tipped over. Leah leapt to her feet and gripped the tops of my arms.  
"Nessie, wait a second. Calm down. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have told you, but I honestly thought you knew. I figured Jake would have told you by now. I guess he has a good reason for keeping it from you. Dammit, I should have known this already. I guess I've just been so involved with my own drama, I haven't paid much attention to what's in Jake's head when we've run together. Man, he is going to be so ticked off at me. I'm so sorry…" Her voice quivered slightly.  
"Stop apologizing, Leah. This isn't your fault," I said through my teeth. "If you don't mind, I'd like to be alone now." I stalked back into the house, slamming my bedroom door and locking it. I knew Leah wouldn't leave, but she'd at least stay outside until my parents got back.

I threw myself on my bed, seething with anger. I couldn't believe this! Jake imprinted on me! How could everyone have kept this from me? Maybe they assumed that I'd figure it out, or they were letting him decide when to tell me. Why hadn't he told me? I knew very little bit about imprinting. Jake had explained to me about Sam and Emily before we'd left Forks, because I'd wanted to know why Leah always got upset whenever they came around. He'd said it was sort of like finding your soul mate, the person you were meant to be with, and Sam had had no choice about Emily. He hadn't gone into great detail, only telling me enough so that I'd understand about Leah's situation. He'd certainly never told me that it could happen for him one day. How could he have imprinted on me without me knowing it? When had he imprinted on me? I thought back over the years of my life, how Jake had always been there, never far from me, the way he'd protected me and always made sure I was happy, giving in to my wants and demands without hesitation. Oh. Oh. How could I be so stupid? How could I have not seen this before? His jealousy over Nahuel was making more sense all the time. Jake thought I belonged to him, that I was his property, so of course he wouldn't be happy about another man showing me the slightest bit of interest. Well, I was no one's property. I belonged to no one. I was my own person, and I didn't need some overbearing, over-protective, stalking…  
I heard my parents come through the front door at that moment. It dawned on me that they must have known the truth all along, and it made me furious. Why had they kept this from me? Didn't I have the right to know? I considered confronting them, but before I could do more than rise from my bed, there was a light tapping on my door.  
"May we come in Nessie? We'd like to talk to you," Dad said softly.  
"Nessie honey, please open the door," Mom added.  
I strode stiffly to the door, flinging it open.  
"What?" I demanded in a harsh tone.  
"Nessie, please sit down. Leah called and told us what happened, and I think we need to talk about it." Dad led me back to my bed, sitting and pulling me down beside him. Mom sat on the floor in front of me on her knees, hands twisting in her lap.

"Well? Say whatever you need to say so I can get my homework done," I commanded, crossing my arms over my chest.  
Dad wrapped an arm around my shoulders and looked at my mother. She stared back at him with an anxious expression, then drew a deep breath.  
"Nessie, I can see that you're upset, but please listen to me." She leaned forward and tried to take my hands but I pulled away. I stared stubbornly at the wall over her right shoulder, refusing to meet her eyes. She sat back again and continued. "Jake imprinted on you the day you were born. It changed his whole life. He cares for you deeply, sweetheart, but he decided not to tell you about the imprinting for reasons of his own. Your father and I respect that decision. We made a promise to him that we wouldn't say anything to you, that we'd let him tell you when he felt the time was right. Leah apparently didn't know that he hadn't told you yet. She didn't mean any harm."  
"So keeping a promise to Jake," I spit out his name, "is more important than telling your own daughter the truth?" I was beyond furious now.  
"We didn't feel that it was our place to tell you," Dad said, rubbing my arm in a soothing manner. I jerked away from his touch. He sighed and dropped his arm. "Imprinting is a complicated thing to explain. It's very special, very personal, and never having experienced it myself, I don't think I'd be able to fully convey the significance of it."  
"You should have told me." I shook my head angrily.  
"Believe me Nessie, we weren't exactly thrilled about it either. When I woke up from my transformation and found out about it, I was ready to kill Jake. I would have too, if Seth hadn't jumped in front of him, " Mom said ashamedly. I remembered that day in front of the main house, my father holding me on the front porch while my mother had stalked Jake, growling at him as he backed away from her. I recalled how she'd lunged at Jake, how Seth had ended up with a broken collarbone trying to protect him. I hadn't completely understood what was going on at the time, just that my Jake had almost been hurt. I hadn't liked that. I snorted in disgust

"Why are you ok with it now?" I sneered.  
"We've grown accustomed to it over the years, and, regardless of our initial feelings, we do understand. It's not as if he had any choice in the matter. It's not fair of you to be angry with him, Nessie," Dad said gently.  
"Great! Here I'm thinking that he's starting to have feelings for me, and now I find out that he's obligated to have those feelings, that he's stuck with me!" I exclaimed.  
"Renesmee," Dad said sternly. He only used my given name when he was impatient with me, or angry, which was a rare occurrence. "That's not the case. Jake feels certain things for you because he chooses to. I know exactly what he thinks about you and how he feels, but I don't feel comfortable explaining it to you. It would be an invasion of his privacy. You need to discuss this with him." He rose from the bed and gestured to my mother to follow him. "In the meantime, you need to calm down and get some rest. I'll send for Jacob in a little while, and your mother and I will give you some privacy so you can talk. We love you very much Nessie. Please try to remember that." He closed my door as they left. Hot tears stung my eyes, and I once again flung myself across my bed, burying my face


	11. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

The glow from the full moon played softly on my skin, giving it a luminescence, a light sheen. I tilted my face up toward the sky, closed my eyes and sighed. I started tapping my foot impatiently, sitting in one of the chairs behind the cottage, waiting for Jake to arrive. My parents had decided to go for a walk, to give us some privacy, but they weren't going too far of course. Dad had promised me that he wouldn't listen in, which I was grateful for, even though I was still very angry with them. I had no idea how this conversation would go. I finally heard Jake's approach, an almost imperceptible sound coming from the woods. He stepped over the low wall surrounding the little garden and walked slowly toward me. I could see him perfectly in the light of the brilliant moon, could see the warring emotions as they crossed his face: anger, worry, sadness, fear, determination. He came to a stop in front of me, and crossed his arms over his chest. I stared at him, and we said nothing for a long time. I didn't know what he was seeing in my face, but his face began to show more worry and anxiety than anything else, so I assumed it wasn't the expression he'd been hoping for. He took a deep breath and looked down at the ground.

"Well?" I demanded. I cringed internally at the sound of my own voice, the harshness of it, and struggled for a more even tone. "Aren't you going to say anything?"  
"Look, I'm sorry about all of this, okay? I didn't mean for you to find out this way…I was planning on telling you-"  
"When Jake, WHEN?" I cut him off. I was going to have to get a handle on my anger. I took some deep breaths in an effort to calm myself.  
"Will you let me talk?" He sounded a little annoyed, his black eyes blazing briefly, but he was obviously anxious to set things right with me. He squatted on the ground in front of me so we'd be more on an eye-to-eye level. "You know a little about the imprinting thing, but I know you don't fully understand it," he said quietly.  
"So enlighten me," I said in a sarcastic tone. A flash of sadness passed through his eyes.  
"It's hard to explain, so bear with me." He drew another deep breath before continuing.  
"When a wolf imprints, when he sees his other half for the first time, it's like his whole universe comes together, his whole life makes sense. When I looked into your eyes the day you were born, it happened for me. Suddenly nothing else in my life was as important as you. Not my dad, my tribe, my pack, not even myself. You became my whole world, the reason I exist." His words and his gaze were so intense, I forgot to breathe for a second.  
"But you don't have any choice about who you imprint on, right?" I questioned.  
"No…you're right, I didn't have a choice, none of us did. But that doesn't matter. I believe we imprint on a specific person for a reason…for different reasons, as they apply to each of us. When I imprinted on you, your safety and happiness were all that mattered to me. It's still all that matters to me, except…when you were younger, I looked at you like…like…not necessarily a little sister or a daughter…" his brow furrowed in concentration as he struggled to explain it right, "but more like my top priority in life. You became everything to me. I started out simply wanting to protect you above all else, to make you happy. As you got older, we became best friends… but over the years, my feelings for you have changed. Within the last several months, I've begun to see you in a different light…to have stronger feelings of love for you…to…to fall in love with you. That's why I haven't told you about me imprinting on you before. I was hoping…well, that you'd start to feel the same way about me." His eyes burned into mine, seeming to reach all the way to my soul. My heart pounded in my chest and my breathing sped up as his revelation sunk in. Jake had just admitted to being in love with me. All the doubt and anxiety about his true feelings for me fled in an instant. Part of my mind was soaring with happiness, a feeling that took me by complete surprise. I still wasn't absolutely sure how I felt about him though. Then, a hot little flame began to flicker in my mind. He'd also admitted that he'd had no choice about me, that his imprinting on me was involuntary. Who the hell wants to be loved by someone who has no choice but to love that person? The flame grew larger as this thought became predominant in my brain.

"So you're in love with me…big deal. It's not like you have a choice in the matter." I stared over his shoulder into the blackness of the forest. He gripped my chin, forcing me to look at him. His voice grew stronger as he spoke, more determined, "I didn't choose to imprint on you, but I have chosen to feel the way I feel about you. It's not written in stone that we have to fall in love with who we imprint on, it just happens that way more often than not."  
"What about my choices? Don't I get to decide who I fall in love with?" I shook my head angrily. "This whole imprinting thing seems so unfair to me, like my choices have been taken away, like we're betrothed to one another or something. What if…" I hesitated, truly not wanting to hurt him, but not completely able to control my temper, "what if I choose not to love you back?"  
He rocked back on his heels as if I'd slapped him. The shock on his face froze there for a few seconds. Then he recovered, his expression becoming one of defeat.  
"You have the right to choose whatever you want," he said softly. "You certainly don't have to love me. We can stay friends, if you want, or you can choose to have nothing to do with me at all." His voice was so sad it nearly broke my heart. "But you have to understand, Nessie, I'll never be able to stay away from you. I'll never stop wanting to protect you, wanting to make sure you're happy. I'll always be in your life in one way or another. I need to be. You're all I'm living for now, now and forever."  
My lips quivered slightly. The anger was slowly draining from me, but for some strange reason, I struggled to hold on to it. I was so confused! He'd imprinted on me, but he was choosing to be in love with me…? It wasn't making sense to me. Why couldn't things just be simple, why couldn't we have just met and fallen in love like normal people? We weren't normal people though, and I supposed that was the whole problem.

I sighed in frustration. I needed more time to think about this. I opened my mouth to speak, but before I could make a sound, Jake rose and pulled me to my feet in one lightening-fast movement, wrapping his arms around me in a tight embrace, lifting me off the ground. His breathing quickened as he brought one hand up to cup my chin, tilting my face up to within inches of his. He stared into my eyes with his alluring, penetrating gaze. I could see all the love he felt for me in his intense stare, like he was almost willing me to see it and believe. "I love you, Renesmee. I love you more than anything, more than I could ever have imagined. I'll never see anyone else but you for as long as I live. My love for you will never fade, will never die, can never be replaced. My heart is yours and my soul belongs to you. Always." He didn't give me a chance to reply. His mouth was suddenly on mine, kissing me deeply, desperately. I froze in shock for a split second; then my arms found their way around him of their own will, holding his body tight against mine. An unfamiliar passion instantly ignited in me, my whole body feeling as if it were going to burst into flame. He pulled me closer, tighter, until I could barely breathe, but I didn't care. I lifted my hands from his broad, muscular shoulders to the back of his head, twisting my fingers through his hair, locking his face to mine. A groan came from deep within his massive chest, causing me to gasp breathlessly in response. I became totally oblivious to the night around me, completely enveloped in Jacob: his beauty, the sensation of his touch, his scent. His breath washed over my face as he began to pant, breathing so hard I was afraid he might pass out. My nerve endings were on fire. The electricity that shot through my body was almost too much to bear. I'd never felt this before…this utter bliss that entirely consumed me. I never wanted this moment to end.  
All too soon, Jake lowered me back to the ground. Still kissing me, softly now, his hands moved slowly up my back to the tops of my shoulders, his fingers tracing the curves of my neck. I shivered in delight. His hands finally came to rest on either side of my face, his long fingers curving around to the back of my head. He pulled his face back for a second, keeping his hold on me. My entire body sang as I took in his expression of sheer joy. He leaned in, lightly touching his lips to mine once more.

"Goodnight Nessie," he breathed softly.  
I couldn't speak. I just stared wide-eyed after him as he turned to disappear into the night.  
It took several moments before I could breathe steadily and form a coherent thought. I was stunned. I'd woken up this morning, gone to school and went through my normal routine just like any regular day, oblivious to how drastically my life would change in the space of a few hours. My best friend had just declared his eternal love for me. We'd shared a passionate kiss of the kind I'd only ever read about or seen on television. Whoa. It was more than a little overwhelming. An inexplicable sadness flowed through me, and tears sprang to my eyes unexpectedly. No matter what my decision, I suspected that Jake's and my friendship was now altered forever, would never be as it had been. I was suddenly exhausted, right down to my bones. I needed some serious sleep, and some time to think things through. Maybe things would be clearer to me in the morning.

Tired as I was, sleep eluded me. I lay tossing and turning in bed, the scene with Jake playing over and over in my mind. The things we'd said, the way it'd felt when he'd held me, his lips on mine….I shivered. He'd brought out feelings in me I never knew I was capable of. It had felt so right being in his arms, natural as breathing. Still, I wasn't sure what to do now, how we were supposed to go on from here. I loved Jake, but was it the same kind of love he now felt for me? I had some decisions to make, but I also needed to rest. At that moment, I heard my door creaking softly as it opened. I turned to see my mom peeking in at me.  
"I'm sorry, honey, I didn't mean to wake you. I was just checking on you. Go back to sleep," she said, backing out and starting to pull the door closed.  
"It's ok, Mom, I wasn't asleep. I'm too keyed up to sleep," I said sheepishly, sitting up and patting the bed next to me. "Come on in."  
She sat beside me, putting an arm around me. "Are you ok sweetheart?"  
"Yes, I'm fine. I just have a lot to think about," I said, nervously twisting my hands in my lap.  
"Do you want to talk about it?" She stroked my face lovingly. "You don't have to," she quickly assured me.  
"No, it's alright. I'd like to talk about it, if you don't mind." My voice was quiet.  
"Your father didn't listen in to your and Jake's conversation, sweetie. Scout's honor." She smiled and placed a hand over her silent heart.  
"You're silly Mom," I giggled. "I know he wouldn't do that, he promised." I took a deep breath, not sure how to start. I decided to begin with Jake explaining imprinting to me. Mom nodded, already aware of how it worked. I hesitated before telling her about Jake's admission, my face flushing. "Um, then he…told me that he's in love with me," I whispered, clenching my hands together in a tight fist. Mom took my hands, gently prying them apart and patting them. "You don't need to be embarrassed Nessie. I've been expecting this to happen," she sighed. "I knew Jake would fall in love with you sooner or later, what with him imprinting on you and all. Besides, what man wouldn't? You're so beautiful, honey, as well as smart, special, and talented." She sighed again. "I suppose all parents feel like their children grow up too fast, but in my case, I guess I'm a little justified. You've become a woman in such a short amount of time. This is all happening so fast, but I'm glad that Jake finally told you how he feels. He's been dealing with this for far too long now. The question is, how do you feel about him?" She reached out to play with my hair, just the way she'd done when I was little.  
"I'm not sure Mom. I love him, of course, but up until now it's been a best friend type of love. When he kissed me though, I felt…I dunno, it was like…well…it was amazing," I said, cheeks flaming hotter than ever.

"Oh sweetie, I'm so happy for you." She hugged me tightly. "I'm not ready to let go of my little girl yet, but I couldn't have asked for anyone better for you. Jake's a wonderful person, he has such a big heart and I know he's crazy about you. He's strong and loyal and-"  
"Wait Mom, whoa," I cut her off. I pulled away from her slightly and giggled nervously. "You're acting like we're getting married or something! I haven't completely made up my mind about how I feel about Jake, or that I want our friendship to change."  
"Would you like me to give you a piece of advice?" She smiled.  
"Sure, I'm all ears," I said, shifting around to face her. She took my hands once again, all seriousness now, and said, "First of all, give yourself some time, but don't over think it. Listen to your heart. Give Jake a chance to show you what it could be like to be with him. You never know, it may be the best thing that's ever happened to you."  
"But what about our friendship? Won't that change if we're…you know, together?"  
"Nessie, whether you like it or not, your friendship with Jake will never be the same from this point on. He's in love with you sweetheart, and that's not something that fades away easily. You can never go back to the way things were," she said softly, placing her hand on my cheek. She had just confirmed my earlier suspicion.  
"Why does that make me so sad?" I wondered, leaning in to her palm.  
She thought for a moment, then said, "I think maybe you're looking at the situation the wrong way, like this is an ending. It doesn't have to be that way. You can choose to see it as the beginning of something wonderful."

And I did what she said. I listened to my heart for just a moment. Images of Jake and I whirled through my mind: laughing together, driving his car, running through the forest, playing on the beach, the endless talks, the long companionable silences, just enjoying each other's company. My mind raced ahead to this very night, when he'd kissed me under the moonlight. A thrill shot through me. Maybe Mom was right. Maybe our friendship didn't have to end, maybe we'd just make it better, stronger, become closer than I ever thought possible. A peaceful feeling washed over me, a happiness, a sense that being with Jake was the natural course for me, that it was right. A yawn escaped me then, and Mom moved to tuck me under my blanket. "Get some sleep now Nessie. It's late and you've got school tomorrow. Goodnight, sweet dreams." She kissed my forehead and turned out my lamp before closing my door softly. I drifted off to sleep almost immediately. My dreams that night were very sweet indeed.


	12. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11 **

"Whoa Jake, you better watch it. Your marshmallow is about to turn into a crispy critter," I said, waving my stick at his. We were sitting on top of one of the many cliffs surrounding First Beach, in La Push, in front of a little fire Jake had built. It was windy tonight, and cold, I supposed, though the cold never bothered Jake or me. Our temperatures ran a little hotter than the average human's, so even though it was almost the middle of December, we were pretty toasty. Especially me, since Jake had insisted on bundling me up in a quilt, ignoring my protests. I gazed at his face in the firelight, marveling at his beautiful, russet silk skin, the hard lines of his jaw, the wideness of his cheekbones, the softness in his eyes when he gazed back at me. He gave me one of his gorgeous smiles, then turned his marshmallow over to toast the other side. He hadn't spoken very much tonight, and he seemed a little distant. I could tell there was something on his mind. I decided to give him a little while to mull over whatever he was preoccupied with, and let my own mind wander. The past two weeks with Jake had been indescribable. The morning after he'd professed his love for me, he'd come over to the cottage to wish me a good day at school. He'd acted so shy around me that I had to laugh. I asked him to walk me to his car, and after I'd made sure no one was in sight, I'd thrown myself into his arms, planting a kiss on his lips, taking him completely by surprise. He'd held onto me while pulling back a little, to stare into my eyes. We stood that way for a long time, just looking at each other, communicating without saying a word. Everything we needed to know was right there in front of us.

Later that evening, we'd taken a walk through the forest, holding hands, telling each other about what had gone on with us that day. We'd laughed and joked with one another, just like always. I was happy to note that things hadn't changed that much between us. We'd shared another kiss, sweeter and more tender than the first, and when he told me again that he loved me, I felt like I could fly. Of course, it wasn't easy for us to develop our relationship with little to no privacy. There was always someone nearby, a few members of his pack along with at least a couple of people from my family. They all tried to stay far enough away from us to give us a little space, but never ventured too far. I knew it would be a long time before I was left unguarded, if ever, due to the ever-present threat of the Volturi.  
I shivered, and focused again on my time with Jake. We'd spent every waking moment we could with each other, going out on a few dates, to the movies, out to dinner (with supervision of course). Most of our time together had to be spent close to home, though, which I hadn't really minded. It was a little disconcerting how quickly we'd grown closer, closer than I'd ever thought we could be. My dreams couldn't even compare to my reality now. I smiled to myself. Jake shifted his weight a bit, trying to get more comfortable, and this brought me back to the present.

"Jake, is something wrong? You're awfully quiet tonight," I noted.  
He smiled at me and ran a hand through my hair, all the way down to the small of my back. "I'm ok. Just got some things on my mind," he said, blowing on his blackened marshmallow and taking a bite.  
"Come on Jake, spill," I encouraged. "You can tell me." I gave him what I hoped was a charming smile. Apparently it worked, but not the way I'd intended. He leaned over and kissed me, getting some of his gooey marshmallow on my lips. We laughed together, lips still touching, half kissing, half smiling. He pulled back and wiped my mouth with his fingertips.  
"It's not that I don't want to tell you, it's that I don't want to ruin your evening." His voice was soft and a little sad.  
"Jake, please. How can I be happy if you're sad?" I asked, reaching out to touch his face. I brushed some of his shaggy hair out of his eyes. "Tell me what's bothering you."  
He sighed, then leaned back to prop himself on one arm, laying the other arm across his knees. "My dad called me at work, and asked if I'd stop by tonight. Said he needed to talk to me, that it was important. So I went over as soon as I closed down the garage today. I haven't spent much time with him lately, so I was kind of anxious to see him, to check on him. Maggie was there, along with Embry and Rachel. You remember Maggie, right?"  
"Yes, I remember. Billy brought her to my birthday party," I said, taking a bite out of my marshmallow, which didn't taste all that bad.  
"I could tell something was up as soon as I walked through the door. They were all sitting around the kitchen table, with looks on their faces like they were waiting for a bomb to go off or something." He snorted, then absently threw a small stick into the fire. There was a hissing sound as orange flames shot up into the starlit sky. " I sat down with them and Billy said, 'There's something important we need to talk to you about, son.' Maggie looked as nervous as a cat in a room full of rocking chairs, and Embry looked scared to death. To make a long story short, Billy decided to announce to me, Rachel, and Embry, after all these years, that Embry's our biological brother." A hardness came over Jake's face, and I immediately reached over to embrace him.  
"Oh Jake, I'm so sorry. But…why did your dad wait so long to tell you?" I felt immense sympathy flow through me. Jake's pain hurt me deeply.  
"I dunno, I guess it's because he's dating Maggie now, and he figured the truth was bound to come out sooner or later. So it looks like I not only have a new brother, I'll be getting a new mom soon too." His tone was sarcastic, and the bitterness in his face scared me. This wasn't my Jake. I floundered for a way to comfort him, to erase that look from his face.  
"But having Embry for a brother can't be all bad, can it?" I asked softly.  
"No, that's not what's upsetting me," Jake said, sitting upright, keeping an arm around me.  
"I'm mad because my dad lied to me about it all these years. He kept it from me because he was ashamed. He should be ashamed, after what he did to my mother." Jake's voice grew angrier as he gripped me tighter. "He cheated on her. He told me tonight that he'd had an affair with Maggie when my mom was pregnant with me. She didn't find out until years later, when she happened to be going through my dad's desk, looking for receipts. He usually did all the bookkeeping, but since he was gone on a weekend fishing trip…she found a bunch of cancelled checks made out to Maggie. Mom confronted him about them when he got home, and he told her everything. She flipped out and ran out of the house crying her heart out. She jumped in her car and took off. He got in this old truck he'd been working on for a friend and tried to follow her. It was pouring down rain that day. She must have lost control of her car and….so did he. She died. And my dad ended up in a wheelchair. I was eight years old."

"Jake," I whispered. I didn't know what to say. I just listened, letting him get it all out.  
"I guess I know now why my sisters never wanted to come back home to visit. They must have blamed my dad for my mom's death. I was too young to remember the details of the fight that day. I don't know if I can ever forgive him." He was clenching and unclenching his fists.  
"How are Embry and Rachel taking all this?" I asked.  
"Rachel was pretty upset, she ran off to find Paul. Embry didn't say anything. He just got up and walked out. I don't know where he went. Everyone's trying to give him his space." He stared into the fire, the look of pain on his face cutting right through me. A tear slid from one of his eyes, slowly making a trail down his cheek. I wanted so badly to comfort him. I raised my hand to caress his face, but he grasped my wrist instead, slowly wrapping my arm around his neck. He looked into my eyes for a long moment. Then he kissed me roughly, almost angrily. He pulled me on top of him as we fell back on the ground, his arms winding around my waist, holding me tightly against him as I lay on his chest. Our mouths moved together a little more slowly as he twined his fingers through my hair, gripping the back of my head, holding my face to his. His hands slid down my back and under my jacket, tracing patterns on the small of my back with his fingertips, making my bare skin tingle. I gripped his shoulders tightly, pulling him closer, then moved my hands down to his chest, savoring the feel of his muscles beneath his thin t-shirt. This was heaven. We left his pain behind for the moment, losing ourselves in each other. Finally, he pulled my face gently away from his, breathing hard. We were both breathing hard. He deftly maneuvered us both back into a sitting position, arranging the quilt around me once more. "Hoo," his breath came out in a rush. "That's enough of that for now. I don't want to become numero uno on Edward's hit list by morning," he grinned. I rolled my eyes at him, then scooted closer so I could lay my head on his shoulder. He rested his cheek on the top of my head and put his arms around me.  
"I love you, Nessie. More than you'll ever know," he murmured .  
"I love you too, Jake. More than I could ever tell you," I whispered back.  
"So why don't you show me, then," he teased, a smile in his voice.  
I swatted at him, but he grabbed my hand and pressed his lips lightly to my palm.  
"You know what I mean," he chuckled. "I promise you, I'm a true gentleman." He raised my hand to his cheek, holding it there. I smiled, then showed him our time together through my eyes, calling back the recent memories along with all the feelings I'd had. The images I showed him were all surrounded by auras, each picture having it's own, beautiful color representing my mood in that moment: bright yellow for my happiness, soothing blues for the peace I'd felt at the rightness of being together, vivid shades of red for the love and passion…I blushed a little as I conveyed this to him. His smile widened at each memory, and his eyes sparkled with sheer elation. I was truly glad I could make him happy right now, that I could make him forget about his pain over his dad and Embry, if only for a little while.

"AAAAARRROOOOOOO!"  
A piercing howl cut through our blissful moment like a sharp blade. Jake leapt to his feet in an instant.  
"Jake, what is it?"  
"Trouble." His body began to vibrate at once, just as a large gray wolf came out of the dark to stand by my side. Jake nodded once, then took off into the trees. Leah nudged my shoulder with her wolf nose, and I jumped to my feet.  
"What is it, Leah? Is it something bad?" I asked, my voice shaking a little. She nodded her huge head once, then looked back over her shoulder into the forest. Jake reappeared at my side so quickly it made me jump a little. I marveled for a fraction of a second at his speed, despite the massiveness of his wolf body. He nudged my shoulder with his nose much as Leah had, then whipped his head back over his shoulder, indicating that I should climb up onto his back. I did so without protest, shaking a little from fear. I clutched his shaggy fur tightly, then we were off, running through the black forest toward the Cullen home. Leah took off in the opposite direction. My dad obviously picked up on Jake's alarmed thoughts when we got close, meeting us by the river before we'd even crossed it. He reached up for me, and I jumped down into his arms. We were across the river in a split second, and he flew with me into the house, slamming the back door behind us. I looked out the glass wall, frantically searching for Jake, but didn't see him anywhere.  
"Dad? What's going on?" I asked, my tone heavily laced with panic.  
"Leah picked up a strange scent about ten miles away from the cliff where you and Jake were," he answered, his eyes wide with fear. He pressed his lips together angrily, then said through his teeth, "Jake has ordered Quil, Seth, and Leah to follow the trail. He went to join them."  
"A vampire?" I questioned, voice quivering, though I already knew the answer. What else would cause Jake to react the way he had?

He nodded grimly. The rest of my family circled me in an instant, my mother pulling me against her.  
"Jake," I whispered. My knees felt like they were going to give out on me. My mother tightened her hold on me.  
"He'll be alright Nessie," she said. She was trying to comfort me, but her voice came out stiffly through her frozen lips.  
"What's the plan Edward?" Emmett went to stand by my dad, arms crossed over his chest. Dad looked torn, as if he wasn't sure whether to stay with me or go and help Jake and his pack.  
"Please stay Daddy," I whimpered. His eyes softened as he lay his hand against my cheek. "Jazz, Em?" He said, without looking away from me.  
"On it," Emmett said immediately. He and Jasper were gone in less than a heartbeat.  
My family and I stood looking out the back windows for what seemed like forever, a bunch of silent statues, not one of them breathing, with the exception of myself.  
Finally, when I was sure I wouldn't be able to bear it a moment longer, I saw Jake padding out of the trees toward the house, Emmett and Jasper in tow. I sagged in relief against my mother, who let out a sigh. Dad looked disappointed. Emmett and Jasper came inside while Jake continued around to the front of the house. I looked at Dad questioningly, and he told me that Jake was just being thorough. They hadn't been able to track down the vampire, losing the scent just a mile short of the ocean. Leah and the others were still patrolling the area.  
"I'm fairly sure we were following the trail of a half vampire," Jasper said grimly. "The scent wasn't as strong as that of a normal vampire."  
"How fresh was the trail?" Carlisle asked.  
"Very. Not even an hour old," Jasper answered.  
"Someone spying for Aro again? Edward, this is ridiculous! Nessie has the right to feel safe in her home and wherever she goes. She can't keep living like this!" Rose snapped, putting her arm around my shoulder.

"I know that. I'm furious about this situation, that someone could be stalking my daughter's every move, could possibly be threatening her life! But what exactly do you propose we do, Rosalie? Our hands are tied here. We can't go accusing the Volturi of anything until we have some hard evidence, which is going to take some time to come by. Aro is no fool. All we have is a gift, which on the surface, seems harmless. And tonight…this is the first time we've detected a strange scent in the area. We have no way of knowing if this has happened before. Aro has obviously devised a plan that has rendered Alice blind, leaving us all useless!" Dad shouted. He was pacing the room with furious speed, and before anyone could stop him, he punched a hole in the wall next to the staircase. The whole house shook for a moment. A million cracks appeared on the damaged wall, radiating out from the hole, and large chunks of drywall fell to the wooden floor in an avalanche of dust.  
"Edward!" Mom and Alice shouted simultaneously. Jasper rushed to his side, Esme following, placing their hands on his back and leading him to one of the sofas. Esme gently pushed him down, urging him to sit.  
"Edward, calm down. This is upsetting to us all, but we'll never figure it out unless we can think rationally," she said in a soothing voice. Serenity washed over the entire room as Jasper moved to stand behind the couch. Carlisle came to sit down on Dad's other side.  
"We're going to get to the bottom of this, son," he said firmly. "We're not going to let any harm come to Nessie. You know we would all lay down our lives for her, should it come to that, although I'm sure that will not be the case. As you said before, this could simply be Aro's way of seeking some sort of petty revenge against us for causing the Volturi's humiliation years ago. Try to calm down. Let's go over what we know for sure, and try to develop some more theories."  
"Nessie, I think we should all stay here tonight, honey. Let's get you upstairs and into bed so you can get some rest," Mom said, leading me toward the stairs. I paused in front of my father. "I love you Daddy. Please try not to worry about me. I'll be fine," I said, trying to force a smile to my lips. I bent down to hug him. He held me in a fierce embrace for several minutes, then released me. He smiled encouragingly at me, though it didn't reach his eyes.  
Alice told me I could sleep in her room, and Rose loaned me a set of light pink silk pajamas. What she needed them for, I could only guess, but I was grateful for them. I curled up under Alice's soft white comforter, waiting for sleep to find me. My mother sat in a chair next to the bed, stroking my arm. "Would you like me to read to you sweetheart?"  
"Yes, that would be nice." I smiled.  
She went to Carlisle's office, coming back with a book of poetry. Her musical voice was soothing as she read poem after poem to me, just like when I was little. I eventually drifted off into a fitful sleep filled with uneasy dreams, nightmarish images surrounded by dark, pulsing colors.

The next morning, I flew down the stairs to find my family sitting around the large front room, some of them talking quietly, some of them silent and appearing to be deep in thought. Jake was there on the sofa, head in his hands, staring down at the floor. I went to him immediately, pulling him to his feet and flinging my arms around his neck. He hugged me back fiercely.  
"Jake, are you ok?" I asked a little breathlessly.  
"Hey, I'm fine. It's you we need to worry about," he said, gently holding my face in his hands. He gave me a tired smile, and I could plainly see the exhaustion in his eyes.  
"Were you out running all night?" I frowned.  
"Yes, but I'm fine. Like I said, we need to be thinking about you right now."  
"Jake, you need to get some sleep. I'll be fine. You can't wear yourself out like this. I won't let you," I said stubbornly, placing my hands on my hips.  
"If it will make you feel better, I'll go upstairs and catch a nap. Leah's got control of the perimeter for now. 'Sides, we haven't come across anything new." He yawned hugely, then grinned at Rosalie. "Mind if I crash in your bed, Sleepless Beauty?"  
"Not a chance, mongrel," she sneered.  
"Jacob, you're more than welcome to sleep in Carlisle's and my room," Esme offered, giving Rose a sharp look.  
"Thanks, I think I'll head on up. I'm pretty tired." He kissed my forehead and turned for the stairs.  
"Jake," I said, grasping his arm. "I'm really glad you're safe. I was so worried."  
"You shouldn't be worrying about me," he admonished, taking me into his arms again. "I can take care of myself."  
"I know, but if anything had happened to you-"  
He placed a finger over my lips to silence me. "But nothing did. Don't stress, honey. If you get stressed, then I'll stress, and I'm already stressed enough." He smiled and kissed my cheek. "I'll see you in a little bit, 'kay?"  
"Okay. Get some rest." I kissed him lightly before he went up the stairs.  
I turned to head to the kitchen and saw Emmett grinning at me.  
"Shut up, Emmett. I don't even want to hear it," I said, raising my hand up to silence him. His deep laugh made the floorboards rumble.  
After I'd eaten some fruit for breakfast, I sat with my family in the living room and listened to them rehash the theories they'd come up with while I slept about what had happened last night. Alice was sitting in the corner, rubbing her temples with her fingertips, concentrating.  
"This is no good. I'm sorry Nessie, but with you here, I can't see very well. I need to go someplace quiet, be by myself for a little while."  
"Alice, why don't you go to the cottage?" Mom suggested.  
"That's a good idea. I'll come back in a little while when…or I should say if…I see anything." She gracefully rose to her feet. Jasper was by her side in a flash.  
"You're not going by yourself," he said, determination strong in his tone. "Whoever was here last night could still be around somewhere." His eyes darted toward the river and his body stiffened in a defensive posture as if he expected a horde of vengeful vampires to come bursting through the trees at any moment.  
Alice looped her arm through his and smiled at him soothingly. "We'll be back soon," she called over her shoulder as they headed out.  
Carlisle and Dad were talking about Jasper's theories. He believed that a half vampire was spying on Jake and me last night, and he now believed that some poor human had been persuaded to leave my birthday gift at the cottage, since there had been no trace of any unfamiliar vampire scent there. He was almost positive that Aro was behind both occurrences. Alice was desperately searching the future to see if she could either prove or disprove his theories. So far, she'd been able to see nothing at all, which made my father lean more toward believing what Jasper had theorized. Carlisle, who was more optimistic and tended to see everything in a more positive light, was not entirely convinced that I'd been spied on last night.  
"It could have simply been a half vampire passing through the area," he said, hands clasped together, arms resting on his knees.  
"Well, I might believe that if not for Aro's gift," Dad responded. He shook his head. "It's too much of a coincidence. Regardless, we need to keep Nessie protected at all times. I think we need to tighten security around her, at least until we get this figured out. More of us are going to have to follow her wherever she goes. And," he hesitated, glancing at me apprehensively, "we need to think about pulling her out of school. For now."  
"NO!" I shouted. "We're not going over this again! We already decided that I would continue in school the day after my party. I'm not dropping out, not now. Besides, what would our story be?" I jumped to my feet and crossed to the window wall, crossing my arms over my chest. I was unbelievably angry. They weren't going to do this to me. I wouldn't let them.

"She's right Edward," Rose said, coming to stand by my side. "You can't just pull her out of school now. She's made friends there, she's made connections. She can't just disappear. What would people think?"  
"I don't care what people think Rose," Dad said through his teeth. "I'm thinking about my daughter's safety here, which is the only thing that matters to me."  
"Edward, I think we should listen to Rose," Mom said gently, wrapping her arm around his waist. "We have to carry on as usual, keep up appearances. Besides, as much as I hate to say this, if we pull her out of school now, the stalker might be alerted by the change and not come back-"  
"WHY would we want him to come back-"  
"Wait, Edward, listen to me for a minute," Mom demanded, putting her hands on either side of his face, "If we carry on as usual, keep to our normal schedule, the spy might try to get close again. Sooner rather than later. Then we'd have a better chance of catching him or her, and getting to the bottom of this. I don't like the idea any more than you do, but now that we have a scent to go by, we know what to watch out for. We'll beef up security around Nessie of course, keep watch over her 24 hours a day, while staying well hidden. I'll throw my shield around the whole school if I have to, every minute that she's there. No one.. is… going… to… hurt her," she said slowly, enunciating each word carefully. "I believe every bit as much as you that the Volturi is behind this, but you already said before that we can't confront them with no evidence. Here's our chance to get some evidence."  
"Bella is right, Edward. It makes sense. The only way we're going to find out what is really going on is to question the person that is stalking her. I've got some vacation days saved up at the hospital, so I'll take off for the next few weeks. Forks High is letting out in one week for winter break anyway, and Nessie will be right here with us, " Carlisle added.  
"One more week, Daddy," I interjected.  
Dad did not look happy. He nodded reluctantly. He knew we were right. Keeping up appearances and sticking to our normal routine was more important right now than some maybe stalker vamp who might want to harm me. We didn't know anything for sure. I didn't think Jake was going to be happy about my returning to school either, but he'd just have to deal with it. I refused to be locked up in my own home like a prisoner, refused to let some strange person take my freedom from me.

The next few days passed uneventfully. I continued to attend school, now with four or five of my family members patrolling the woods nearby instead of just two or three. Leah and Seth were also out there, with Quil and Embry watching the house. My mother threw her shield over the entire school every day, as she informed me, so that I would at least be protected from any potential attack on my mind. The possible threat from the mysterious half vampire had me more than a little stressed though, not exactly for myself, but mostly for my family.  
On Wednesday, we were starting a unit on badminton in gym class. Coach Clapp decided to try mixed pairs, so I chose to team up with Isaac Weber, the younger brother of my mom's human best friend, Angela. He was a shy kid, and not athletic in the least. He usually had his nose in a book, the total opposite of his jock twin brother, Joshua. He smiled gratefully at me and stood holding his racket nervously. Kade and a small girl named Amanda paired up to play against us. Kade half smiled at me, a little sardonically. Apparently, he was still feeling a little raw that I hadn't yet fallen at his feet panting, like the entire female population of Forks High had seemed to. He spiked the birdie over the net right towards me, which I took as a challenge. I easily batted it back to him, and he swatted it immediately back over the net. We went on like that for a while, completely forgetting about Isaac and Amanda, who didn't seem to mind in the slightest. As the game wore on, I was becoming a little agitated that Kade was having no problem matching me hit for hit. Against my better judgment, I decided to turn up the heat a bit. I put a tad more power into my swing, hitting the birdie almost over Kade's head. He fully extended his arm, reaching up with his racket at the last second to propel the birdie back to me. I frowned as it hit the floor in front of me.  
"Aw, come now, don't get your knickers in a twist," he called out to me. A tiny flame of anger began to grow in my mind. I tried in vain to stifle it, wondering absently why I was letting this cocky boy get to me. He grinned widely at me then, seeing the anger in my face.  
Oh, he's gonna get it now, I thought. My competitive side was kicking in, adrenaline flowing through my veins. I picked up the birdie, tossed it in the air, and slammed it with my racket, using more force than was necessary. The birdie flew over the net and hit Kade directly in the forehead. He blinked in surprise, then burst out laughing. He bent over, holding his stomach, and then I had to laugh too. I had no idea why, but his laughter did funny things to me. Seeing him that way, completely freed from his carefully constructed façade, endeared him to me somehow. He looked absolutely adorable. I apologized profusely, but he waved me off, still laughing. After class, we walked together to our respective cars.  
"Surprise, surprise, it's pissing down again," he said, pulling up the hood of his coat. I was growing accustomed to his weird British slang, was starting to find it cute, even. He absently rubbed the red knot on his forehead. I winced. "I really am sorry, Kade. I don't know what got into me."  
"I said not to worry about it. So, are you going this weekend?" he asked.  
Some of the kids had organized a camping trip this coming weekend since the weatherman had predicted unseasonably warm weather for this time of year. It was all anyone could talk about at lunch this afternoon. Wren was going, along with Cynthia and Marian. Abby wasn't able to go, as she and her parents were leaving town to visit relatives for the upcoming holidays.  
"Um, I'm not sure. I'll have to check with Carlisle and Esme first," I answered. As well as Mom and Dad, and possibly Jake, I thought to myself.

"You should come. It's going to be a riot. I may even bring my guitar, serenade you a little," he said with a grin. It did sound appealing. I hadn't yet experienced any outings with my human friends, always having to make excuses whenever I was invited to go out. And what with the recent scare with the half vampire spy, I seriously doubted I would be able to go. Disappointment surged through me. Well, why not? Why couldn't I go? I asked myself. I didn't think my stalker would be stupid enough to try anything with a bunch of human kids around. And Jake, his pack, and some of my family would tag along, keeping a hawk eye on me while staying a discreet distance away. Hmmm. Maybe I could talk my parents into it.  
"We'll see," I said, a little more hope in my voice. I waved goodbye to him and jumped in Jake's car.  
"Before you even ask, the answer is 'no'," Dad said after I'd picked them up. "Definitely not."  
"What, Edward? What was she going to ask?" Mom questioned, sounding a little annoyed.  
"Some of the kids at school have organized a camping trip for this weekend," he answered. "Nessie wants to go."  
"Oh," Mom said quietly.  
"Why not Daddy?" I demanded hotly. "The place they're going to be camping is not far from the main house. And Jake could be there, with his pack, as well as you, Mom and whoever else wants to come watch my every move," I spat.  
"Nessie, how can you ask something like this of us when you were in serious danger not even five days ago?" Dad was struggling to keep an even tone.  
"This is so not fair. I thought the whole point of me going to school was so that I could have some normal, human experiences. Doesn't a camping trip apply? Besides, it's not my fault that I'm being followed. I feel like I'm being punished!" I stared frostily out the windshield at the drizzling rain.  
"We'll discuss this later," Dad grumbled. I perked up instantly. He wasn't being as forceful about his answer as he usually was. I fought to keep a smile from forming on my lips. I just knew I was going to get my way. I tried to think of other things so he wouldn't pick up on the tenor of glee in my mind. Searching for something to occupy myself with, Kade's face suddenly and inexplicably appeared in my mind; the way he'd laughed in gym class today, how innocent he'd seemed, how lovely his laughter had sounded…  
Catching myself, I quickly glanced in the rearview mirror. Dad met my gaze, a fleeting moment of confusion in his eyes, then understanding. He looked away from me, out his window, but I could tell he was smirking. It annoyed me that he seemed so amused. It was also annoying that Kade kept popping into my thoughts. What was my deal? I loved Jake. So why was I thinking about this obnoxious human boy at all? I had to admit to myself that I did find him somewhat attractive, but he was definitely not my type. Cocky, arrogant, self-absorbed, egotistical…and, ok, it was cool that he dug poetry, and he seemed to have a decent sense of humor. He hadn't been angry at all that I'd beamed him with the birdie in front of our entire gym class. And it appeared that he honestly wanted me to come on the camping trip this weekend. Maybe we could be friends, but nothing more than that. Jake was who I wanted. I was positive of this.

I finished my homework in record time. I wanted to be free to spend as much time with Jake as I could once he closed the garage, and before he took off for his nightly patrol. When he arrived at the cottage, I told him about the camping trip. He wasn't thrilled about it, but he didn't seem to be as opposed to it as my dad was. He said he'd definitely have to be there with his pack, and I didn't argue. As much as I loved spending time with Jake, I wanted to go on this trip badly. I was desperate for some normalcy. I felt as if I'd been in prison for the last few months. He promised me he'd help me convince my parents to let me go, if it's what I really wanted. I asked my family to meet with Jake and I at the main house to discuss the possibility of me going. None of them were happy about the prospect of me sleeping in the middle of the forest with a bunch of human kids, but after much debate, Mom and Dad reluctantly agreed to let me go. I clapped and squealed with excitement. Jake said he'd tell his pack about the arrangement while they were running the perimeter tonight. He planned on asking the entire pack to join him in watching over me Friday night, but I suggested he might want to leave a couple of them behind to watch the house. Though I was the main focus of everyone's concern, I believed we all might be in danger. Jake compromised with me: he'd bring Leah and Quil with him, and leave Embry and Seth to guard the house. Mom, Dad, Uncle Jasper, and Aunt Alice would join the pack as well. I was fine with this. I wouldn't have cared if they'd asked the Denalis to come down and help watch over me as long as I got to go.  
The next evening, Jake and I were walking through the forest, holding hands. We'd just been hunting together. I hadn't been in a couple of weeks and Mom and Dad had insisted that I go. I loved hunting with Jake. He always made it fun, made it a competition between us. Of course, we weren't alone, as per usual. Rose and Emmett had come along, and were now trailing behind us, trying to give us a little privacy. Dad was reluctant to let me out of his sight, but Emmett had assured him that he and Rose would keep a vigilant watch. I was unconcerned. I always felt safe when I was with Jake. I edged closer to him now, and he put his arm around my waist, holding me tight. I sighed in contentment. Jake quickly glanced over his shoulder, then pulled me into his arms and kissed me. I wrapped my arms around his neck and lost myself in his warmth, his strength, his smell. Kissing him was without a doubt the most incredible thing I'd ever experienced. All too soon, we were interrupted by Emmett coming through the trees behind us.

"Hey now, none of that. Get your paws off my innocent little niece, Mutt," he joked, laughing boisterously. Rose followed close behind, her beautiful face wrinkled in disgust. "Ew, I definitely did not need to see that," she sniffed.  
"Hey Blondie, ever heard this one? Two blondes walk into a bar.." Jake began.  
Rose growled at him, then stalked off. "Stop it Jake," I admonished. "Play nice please, for me."  
"Anything for you honey. Anything at all," he said softly. He brushed my cheek with his fingertips and I melted. I couldn't stay mad at him. I was hopelessly in love.  
Emmett escorted us back to the cottage, where Mom and Dad waited anxiously.  
"See Edward, told you I'd take care of her. Nothing gets past me," Emmett declared, flexing his massive biceps for us. Dad rolled his eyes, then told me I needed to get to bed. I kissed Jake swiftly on the cheek before he left to join his pack, then kissed Mom and Dad goodnight. I selected an outfit for school the next day, carefully laying it on the back of my desk chair. I wondered absently what I'd take with me on the camping trip Friday. It was going to be so much fun! I just couldn't wait. I lay in bed, buzzing with happiness. My life, with the exception of a tiny shadow here and there, was perfect. I was in love, I was getting to enjoy some human experiences in high school, and I had the best family in the world, full of wonderful people. I couldn't have asked for more. Little did I know, my happiness would be short-lived. In just two days time, my heart would be shattered into a million pieces.


	13. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

"I see you brought your guitar," I said as Kade lifted it out of it's case.  
"I told you I was planning on serenading you," he grinned, plucking the strings to make sure the instrument was well-tuned. We were sitting on logs surrounding a bonfire the boys from school had made in a large clearing in the woods. Some of the kids were setting up the tents, and others were sitting around the fire roasting hot dogs on metal skewers. The night was warm, as the weatherman had promised, a gentle breeze blowing through the trees now and then. My family was out there, as well as Jake, Leah, and Quil, patrolling the area. I felt safe and secure. I was ready to have a good time. There had been no sign of my stalker since the night Jake and I had been out on the cliffs, but I knew that my loved ones would not slack off for a moment, would not cease watching over me for the entire night.  
"So, what are you going to play for me?" I asked, turning my own hot dog over, watching the flames lick up the sides. I detested hot dogs, but I figured I had to keep up the pretense of normalcy. I planned to throw it into the trees when no one was looking. Cynthia strode over and sat herself next to Kade, batting her eyes at him.  
"I didn't know you played the guitar!" she gushed. Kade smiled at her, turning from me slightly. I rolled my eyes, but she didn't see. I liked Cynthia, but it was a little disgusting watching her throw herself at Kade. He obviously wasn't interested in her, had never asked her on a date as far as I knew, yet he continued to string her along. I was annoyed with both of them. Why couldn't people just be honest with each other about how they really felt? I was glad I didn't have that problem with Jake. We had no secrets between us. I smiled to myself, then sighed. I wished fervently that he could be here next to me. Maybe I'd sneak off in a bit to see him for a minute…

Kade began strumming out a tune, one I was familiar with. My father was an avid music lover and had instilled in me a deep appreciation for the classics as well as the modern music of today. His taste in music ranged over many decades, from the 50s to the present. I began singing along softly, and Kade's head snapped up. "You have a beautiful voice," he said, sounding surprised. I blushed and stopped singing at once, staring at my blackened hot dog. "Please, continue," he begged, to the obvious annoyance of Cynthia. She glared at me, crossing her arms over her chest. Then she got up in a huff, stomping off to join Wren and Joshua, who were still struggling with tent poles. "Oops," I said, "looks like we ticked Cynthia off."  
Kade shrugged, unconcerned. "She'll get over it. Hey, do you know this one?" He picked the first notes of another, slower song. I smiled and began singing again. I had to admit, we sounded pretty good together. We went through a few more songs, oldies and newer stuff, oblivious to what was going on around us. Wren announced that it was time for a "potty" break, and came over to ask me if I needed to go. I shook my head at her and smiled, and she and most of the other girls tromped off toward the trees. "Yeah, maybe we need to give the lovebirds some time alone," I heard Cynthia mutter under her breath. I was sure her harsh words hadn't been meant for me to hear. She didn't know about my excellent hearing.  
I frowned slightly, causing Kade to pause in his strumming. "What's got you in a twist all of a sudden?" he asked.

"It's nothing," I said quickly. "Don't stop playing, keep going." I smiled at him. He grinned back at me, then began playing one of my favorite songs ever, a love song from the early 70s. Instead of singing along this time, I let my mind wander. This song reminded me so much of my relationship with Jake. I thought back to the night that he'd first told me he loved me. The way he'd held me, the way his kiss had made me feel like I was melting…I felt my cheeks begin to flush and I smiled. I was vaguely aware that Kade was watching my expression intently. He leaned closer to me. His face was serious, and I could tell his breathing had sped up. Too late, I realized he must have misinterpreted my mood. Before I could utter one syllable, his lips were on mine. I was so shocked, I couldn't move. I was completely frozen. What was going on? His eyes were closed, his mouth moving against mine almost desperately. My eyes were wide open, staring at his face, hands fisted tightly together in my lap. His lips felt oddly cold to me, so foreign, so wrong. He was gripping the tops of my arms, struggling to pull me closer to him. He might as well have been trying to move a brick wall. When he finally figured out that I was not responding to his impromptu kiss at all, he pulled back, a look of agitation on his face. "What's your deal?" he angrily asked.  
I couldn't speak for a moment. I had never been kissed like that by anyone besides Jake. Jake…oh no. Surely he'd witnessed what had just happened. Would he be angry with me, or would he have seen that I hadn't responded to Kade's kiss, that I had been shocked by it? A low growl emanated from the forest as if in response to my thoughts. I felt a sinking sensation in the pit of my stomach. "What was that?" Kade turned to stare nervously into the trees, whipping his head back and forth to try to figure out where the sound had come from.  
"Uh…um, I don't know, maybe you and some of the other guys better go check on the girls," I suggested, my voice shaking slightly.

"Are you sure? Will you be ok here?" He was already getting to his feet. I merely nodded my head. I didn't think I was capable of speaking any more. As soon as he and most of the other boys had gone off in search of the girls, I made my escape. I only had to walk a few yards into the blackness before I ran right into Jake. He growled again, low and ominous. I felt his tail brush my arm as he turned toward a thick stand of trees and brush. He came back out in his human form, in cut off sweat pants.  
There was a fury on his face I'd never seen before.  
"Jake.." I whispered.  
He only stared at me, stone faced. He was quivering slightly. My dad appeared behind him in the gloom with Mom close behind. Alice and Jasper must still be on the other side of the clearing. From the corner of my eye, I saw the air shimmer and Leah came out from behind a tree, from the opposite direction as my parents.  
"What the hell is going on Nessie?" Jake asked through his gritted teeth.  
"Now wait just a minute Jacob-" Dad began, but I cut him off.  
"It's ok Daddy. Let me talk." I cleared my throat and addressed Jake once again. "Jake, I-"  
Then Jacob was the one cutting me off. "What the hell is that boy doing kissing you like that? What the hell are you doing letting him kiss you?"  
His fury left me reeling. Jake had never talked to me like this, never.

Anger washed over me as if someone had dumped a bucket of hot lava over my entire body. "I didn't let him do anything. He took me completely by surprise," I hissed fiercely.  
"Didn't seem like you were doing much to stop him," Jake sneered.  
"What did you want me to do? Rip his face off?" I was nearly shouting. Mom moved to my side to calm me, telling me to be quieter so the human kids wouldn't hear us. "Can we talk about this later?" she hissed.  
"No," Jake spat, never looking at her, continuing to burn me with his furious gaze.  
"Should I go get Jasper?" Mom asked Dad. He shook his head.  
"Jacob, if you would just calm down for a moment, listen to what Nessie has to say, I'm sure you'll find that this has all been a misunderstanding. You're letting your emotions get in the way of your reasoning," Dad said, placing a hand on Jake's shoulder in an effort to calm him. "And I know for a fact that you're wrong about that," he said in a quieter tone.  
"Wrong about what?" I demanded. Jake didn't say anything. "Tell me, Jacob, tell me this instant!"  
His mouth started twitching, working in an effort not to say the wrong thing, but his temper won out in the end. "I think you've been lying to me. I think you've been seeing this jerk behind my back," he accused.  
"What?" My voice came out in a shocked whisper, as if all my air had been knocked out. I felt like it had been. His words cut through me like a razor blade. I could feel the color draining from my face. "What did you say?"  
For the tiniest fraction of a second, I saw doubt in Jake's eyes. I saw intense pain there too, and I was sure I was seeing my own pain reflected back at me. Then his jaw tightened. "You two looked pretty cozy sitting there by the fire. It didn't look like you minded too much when he…kissed you." The pain flared up in his eyes again. Tears slid down my face. How could Jake honestly believe that? How could he think I would ever hurt him that way? I loved him, loved him with a passion I'd never felt for anything or anyone in my life.  
Why was he doing this? I saw Dad look sharply in Leah's direction, but didn't give it much thought. I couldn't concentrate on anything except Jake's accusation.

"Leah, don't," Dad growled, shaking his head at her. I barely heard him. I was so confused.  
"Edward, you know as well as I do what's been going on in Jake's mind," Leah said calmly, stepping forward. "You know that he's been struggling with this for some time. That's the only reason he's making this ridiculous accusation against Nessie right now."  
"What are you two talking about?" Mom sounded as confused as I felt.  
"Sometimes, when a person feels guilty about something, they tend to lash out at the person they're feeling the guilt toward," Leah explained to her.  
"And sometimes, when a person is suffering a great deal of pain, they tend to want to project it onto others, to relieve the burden from themselves," Dad retorted. I struggled to keep up with the conversation, but I had no idea what they were going on about.  
"Edward, what?…" Mom's voice trailed off as she looked from him to Leah, then back again. Dad wore a grim expression. He nodded curtly at her as she stared at him, her eyes widening in fear. I wondered briefly if she'd let down her shield to let him into her mind for a moment, if they were sharing a silent conversation, or if she was just making an excellent guess as to the meaning behind his and Leah's words.  
"Leah, please don't," Mom begged her. "Do you really think it's necessary to hurt Nessie that way?"  
"I don't want to hurt her, Bella," Leah said in a clipped tone. "I simply believe that she deserves to know the truth. The air needs to be cleared between them. It would be better for her and Jake, in the long run."  
"I don't agree, Leah," Dad said through his teeth. "I think you need to walk away, now."  
"Wait, wait a minute. I'm completely confused. What in the world are you all talking about?" I felt as if I'd entered a theater in the middle of the second act of a play I hadn't intended to see. All this time, Jake had been silent. His facial expressions had gone through several changes, going from pure anger, to doubt, to fear, to guilt, to sadness. I was dizzy from watching these emotions play across his face. I got angry when I received no immediate answer. "Please, will someone just tell me what's going on?" I demanded.  
Leah stepped closer to me, and Dad snarled at her. She ignored him, gripping my shoulders and turning me to face her. "Nessie, you need to know the truth. Jake wants you to know it too, but he's too afraid to tell you himself." Her tone was deadly serious, and slightly sympathetic. Icy needles of fear pricked in my stomach.  
"Leah, that's enough. Hurting Nessie is not going to lessen your pain. Sam is happy with Emily. They're married and they have children on the way. It's time you dealt with that, and accepted it," Dad said coldly. He moved to her side, grabbing her arm as if to yank her away from me. She winced, but held her ground. "Jake has been beating himself up about this for too long," she hissed. "It makes no sense. Why not get everything out in the open, so they can get over it and move on?"  
Dad snarled again. Jake put his hand on Dad's chest. "It's ok, Edward. I want her to know. She has the right to know," he said quietly.  
"No, it's not alright. You two don't have any idea what you're about to do. You're going to break my daughter's heart. That is definitely not ok with me." Dad was in a rage, looking like he was about to commit murder.  
The fear in my belly was growing, threatening to take over my whole body and drown me in it. I began to shake uncontrollably. Mom was snarling at Leah. Leah didn't even glance at her. "Nessie," she began again. "Before you were born, Jake used to be in love with your mother. He never told you because he didn't want to hurt you. You need to talk to him about it, forgive him and move on." She released her grip on me. I stood frozen for a second. Her words made no sense to me. Jake, in love with…what? I looked at my mother, confusion clouding my brain. I knew that she and Jake were close, that they shared a special bond, that they'd gone through a lot together. But in love? That was impossible. Jake had told me over and over that he'd never felt for anyone what he felt for me. Had he been lying to me? I shook my head sharply back and forth, trying to dispel Leah's ugly words from my mind, to make all of this nonsense go away. I looked up at Jake. He looked completely miserable. So it was true. Without saying a word, he confirmed what Leah had just told me.  
"Jake?" My voice was no more than a whisper.  
Tears rolled down his face. He reached out to me, but I stepped away from him.  
"Nessie, please let me explain. It's not what it sounds like. I was in love with Bella at one time, but when you were born-"  
"So, since you couldn't have her, you decided you'd settle for the next best thing. God, I'm so stupid," my voice shook with tears, and I stared at the ground. I couldn't look at him. All his declarations of love, his promises, his kisses, every time he'd touched me….it all meant absolutely nothing. His imprinting on me had given him the excuse he needed, to use me as a rebound to get over my mother. I felt nauseated. I wiped the tears from my eyes furiously.  
"No, that's not-"  
"Save it Jake. There's nothing you could ever say to me to make any of this right." My voice was surprisingly even and calm despite the rage that was igniting in me.

Nessie, please listen to me…" he whispered.  
"No. I'm done listening to you. To all of you," I spat, ice in my tone. My mother tried to put her arms around me, but I shook her off, jerking away from her. I couldn't bring myself to look at her. I knew I'd just hurt her deeply with my rejection, but my own heart was breaking right out of my chest, splintering my ribcage, making it harder and harder for me to breathe. All I wanted was to run, run as far as I could go, away from the suffocating agony that was threatening to crush me. Jake said nothing. He'd always given me what he thought I wanted, and what he thought I wanted right now was his silence. In truth, I longed for him to take me in his arms and make all of this go away. But he couldn't do that. The ugly facts were not going to go away.  
The building rage mingled with my pain, growing larger and exploding from me, blocking everything else out. I slapped Jacob as hard as I could. It couldn't have hurt him physically, but that hadn't been my goal. I wanted him to feel the pain I felt, wanted him to be crushed under the weight of my rejection.  
"I hate you, Jacob Black. I never want to see you again."  
I turned and ran back to the campsite. I grabbed my duffel bag and muttered some excuses to my classmates, and before they could stop me, I was flying through the forest. I wanted to run until my legs gave out, but a part of my mind registered the fact that there was no place I could go on this earth that my father couldn't find me. I slowed a little in defeat. I heard the sound of my family pursuing me. I turned in the direction of the cottage. I leapt over the low stone wall, rushed through the glass door that led into my parents' bedroom, then across the hall to my own room. I slammed the door, wishing for the first time that my door had some kind of lock. I shoved my desk chair under the knob instead. I knew that it wouldn't be enough, that my parents could easily get into my room if they wanted to badly enough, but I thought that placing the chair there would get my point across.

"Nessie? Open the door sweetheart, please," Dad begged, pounding on the door.  
"Honey, would you please just listen-"  
"Go….away!" I cut my mother off, snarling. "Just leave me alone!"  
I threw myself on the bed and covered my head with a pillow. When that didn't make the sound of their pleas go away, I yanked my mp3 player from the bedside table, shoving the earphones into my ears and turning up the volume as loud as it would go. I lay back and closed my eyes, willing the world to disappear.


	14. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

The months following that devastating night were bleak. I fell into a mode of silence, barely speaking to anyone, least of all to Jake or my mother. Mom had tried many times to talk to me, pleading softly for me to open my door and let her in, but I adamantly refused. She gave up after a few weeks. Jake never tried to talk to me at all. I guessed he'd given up on me. He still came around every day of course, to run the perimeter with the other members of his pack, but I completely ignored him, pretended he wasn't there. It hurt my heart to treat him that way, and a part of me wanted desperately to go to him, but I stubbornly held on to my anger. I knew he wouldn't be able to stay away from me because of the imprinting thing, but that didn't mean I had to talk to him. I established a routine: I got up in the morning, went to school, came home in the afternoon, and shut myself in my room for the remainder of the day. I did my homework and listened to music a lot. Sometimes I surfed the net. I read quite a bit also, but steered clear of romance novels or poetry steeped in sentiments of love. I felt as if I were shrouded by a black cloak of despair. Sometimes I didn't think I'd ever be able to break free from it, wouldn't be able to survive the crushing torment. I tried desperately to keep a veil of numbness over my mind, using it to battle the intense pain. I refused to think about the past or the future; I struggled to stay in the here and now. I got better at it over time. The only times I left my room other than to go to school were to hunt every couple of weeks and to visit with Huilen and Nahuel, when they came down from Denali to spend some time with us over Christmas break. Before they'd come down, I would only hunt with Rose and Emmett, or Alice and Jasper. I tried hunting with Carlisle and Esme once, shortly after I'd stopped speaking, but they were too concerned and loving, spending most of the time trying to get me to open up to them. I never went with my mother and father. When Nahuel arrived, I began hunting with him, with one set of my aunts and uncles tagging along. I'd told him about the birthday gift I'd received from Aro, and the possibility that the Volturi had sent someone to spy on me. He took it as seriously as everyone else had, never straying far from me when we hunted. He and his aunt had been trying to go vegetarian, but Nahuel was finding it extremely difficult. He'd enjoyed a normal vampire diet of human blood for so long that animal blood simply could not satisfy him. I couldn't say I blamed him. Human blood was delicious, but my family lived by a set of morals that most regular vampires did not adhere to. I'd grown used to it over the years. I ended up spending a lot of time with Nahuel over the two weeks they stayed with us. We'd begun taking walks at night, mostly along the river behind the main house, never venturing too far into the trees. We held hands a lot, but it seemed more friendly to me than anything else, not romantic in the least. I was surprised to find myself wanting to talk to him about the situation with Jake. He and Huilen knew something was going on with the family. They'd picked up on the tension almost immediately after they'd arrived. Carlisle, ever the gracious host, had quickly assured them that the family strife had nothing to do with their visit. Nahuel was curious to know what was wrong, but didn't want to pry. I found myself spilling everything to him before I stopped to think about it. I told him about my relationship with Jake, how we'd declared our love for one another, how we'd grown impossibly close over such a short period of time. I explained what had happened the night of the camping trip. Finally, I confessed my behavior to him, telling him how I had not spoken to my family or to Jake since that night. He nodded sympathetically, not saying much, just letting me talk and get it all out. I was fighting back tears by the time I'd finished. He stopped walking abruptly, yanking lightly on my hand so I'd stop too. He took both my hands in his, and looked into my eyes. "I'm very sorry that you've had to go through something so heartbreaking," he said tenderly. "You don't deserve that. From what I have witnessed though, your mother loves you very much. I think you need to let her tell her side of the story and make amends with her. You can't spend the rest of your life ignoring her. You'll only be hurting yourself, in the long run."  
I knew he was right, but I just wasn't ready to forgive her yet. I understood why she'd kept Jake's feelings for her a secret from me, but that didn't make me any less angry. I needed time to let the hurt fade. As for Jake….well, I didn't know if I'd ever be able to forgive him. I felt deeply betrayed, and that wasn't something that was likely to go away anytime soon. Images of my mother and Jake flashed through my mind. How could I ever feel the same way about him again, knowing he'd once loved my mother? Had he held her the way he'd held me, touched her, kissed her the way he'd kissed me? What if he was still in love with her? I winced, the pain of that thought stabbing me right through the heart. Nahuel drew me into his arms, stroking my back in a comforting manner, murmuring softly to me. I was soothed by his warm embrace and his tender reassurances, but I stiffened as his lips brushed my cheek. His mouth lingered on my face too long to be classified as a friendly kiss. It felt a little odd, a bit too intimate. I pulled back from him slightly and tried to smile, not wanting to hurt his feelings.

"I apologize. I've obviously overstepped your boundaries," he said in a low voice.  
"It's ok Nahuel, you haven't done anything wrong. You were just trying to make me feel better," I assured him.  
He took a deep breath and said, "This may be an extremely inappropriate time, but I have a confession to make." He paused, as if he wasn't sure if he should continue. He stared at my face for a long moment, then took another deep breath. "You are a beautiful woman, Renesmee, and I've grown quite fond of you. The times we spent together when you visited me last summer were amazing for me. I haven't been able to stop thinking about you. I didn't say anything to you before because I knew of Jacob's feelings for you, and didn't want to interfere. I feel as if I must take my chance with you now, though, before my aunt and I depart for South America. We're going back home when we leave Washington, and I don't know when I'll see you again. So I have to ask you…do you feel anything for me?"  
I breathed deeply of the cold night air in an effort to calm myself. Nahuel was asking me if I wanted to start a relationship with him. Did I have those kinds of feelings for him? I wasn't sure. I searched within myself as he patiently waited. I gazed into the trees, thinking back on our time together. He was a dear friend to me, and I admired him of course, his beauty, his intelligence, his kindness and sense of humor. But did I love him, could I love him? I didn't know if I had it in me anymore. I'd given my whole heart to Jacob, given it freely without any hesitation or doubt, and it had been shattered. I didn't know if I could ever put the pieces back together, didn't know if I wanted to give what was left of my fragile, broken love to someone else. Nahuel certainly didn't deserve that. I knew for sure that I wasn't ready to let my guard down yet. I wasn't ready to make myself vulnerable to someone else.  
"You are a dear friend to me, Nahuel, and I truly appreciate that friendship. I care for you as well, but I'm afraid it might not be the same way you feel about me. I'm…just not ready. I'm sorry." I looked down at the ground, shuffling my feet nervously. He placed a hand on my cheek and lifted my face so he could see my eyes. "Do not apologize. You have no control over the way you feel about me. If friendship is what you want from me, then it's friendship you'll get. You must know, however, that I do not give up easily on what I want. I'm a very patient man," he grinned. He hugged me briefly, and I smiled gratefully at him. I was relieved that he seemed to understand. He took my hand and we began walking again. I was glad to note that it was not awkward in the least. He asked me about school, and we chatted easily for the rest of our walk. I was very sad to see him go when he and his aunt left the following week. I promised him I would keep in touch, and would come to visit him as soon as I could. I retreated once more to the safe haven of my room. I continued my pattern of silence at home, becoming only slightly more animated at school. I tried very hard to keep up a cheerful façade, but I suspected that some of my friends, Wren at the very least, knew something was not quite right with me. She asked me about it a few times, but I always mumbled some lame excuse, and she eventually gave up. Kade ignored me completely. I guessed that he'd been humiliated when I hadn't responded to his show of affection and was either too embarrassed or too angry to speak to me. It was just as well. His errant kiss had proven to me that I had no feelings for him whatsoever. Besides, my love life, or lack thereof, was complicated enough. Kade flirted relentlessly with a tall blonde senior named Candace for a week or two, but she was already dating one of the football players and was not interested in him. He dated a few other girls, but none of the relationships lasted long. Whether they got tired of him or vice versa, I wasn't sure. He finally settled on Cynthia, to my mild displeasure. I couldn't believe how stupid she was acting. She'd pursued him from the first day he'd arrived here, watched him pursue me to no avail, then witnessed as he'd gone after and dated three other girls. Didn't she realize he was just using her? Well, if she was willing to let him walk all over her, who was I to say anything? I chose to ignore the situation.

The days passed monotonously, one blending into the next until I happened to look out my window one afternoon and noticed that spring had arrived in Forks. I opened the window to see that the trees that had shed their leaves in the fall had started to blossom, tiny bright green buds sprouting on their branches. A warm, sweet scented breeze drifted in to my room, and I closed my eyes and breathed it in. The roses and tulips were also beginning to bud. I'd been in my haze of seclusion for so long that I hadn't noticed the time passing by so swiftly. I decided to take a quilt outside so I could soak up the warm, buttery rays of the sun. I settled myself on the blanket, lying on my back and propping myself up on my elbows, just drinking in the sights and scents of the beautiful surroundings. My father looked out the glass door of his bedroom, and hesitantly opened it, walking slowly toward me. "May I join you?" he asked, pausing a few feet away from me. "Sure," I said quietly. He sat next to me, drawing his knees against his chest, folding his arms across them. We didn't say anything for a while. I wasn't sure he'd even been planning on speaking until he turned slightly to face me. "Can we talk?"

I sighed. Enough time had passed that the sharp edges of my pain had softened a bit. I had to admit to myself that it wasn't fair for me to continue to try to exclude my family from my life. It was affecting us all, and I just wanted all the hurt to go away. The best way to do that would be to talk out our problems. I nodded at him, but didn't say anything.  
"Nessie," he began, "I know that you've suffered a great deal of hurt, that you are still hurting. It's been agonizing for me as well, to experience that suffering through your thoughts. Your mother is in pain too, and I can't bear it any longer." Guilt washed over me. The last thing I wanted was for my mother, or any of my loved ones, to hurt over me. But my own pain had clouded my every thought, had obliterated everything else from my mind. It had taken every ounce of energy I had to fight it, to try to get over it, so I didn't have much left for anything else. I'd been selfish, not stopping to think much about the pain I was causing everyone…causing Jake. My father nodded as he read these thoughts. "I don't believe that you're selfish, but yes, Jacob is in excruciating agony right now. It's been a struggle for me to try to stay out of his mind. When he thinks about you, which is practically every minute of the day, his mind is not a pleasant place to be," he winced, as if he could feel Jake's misery at that very moment. I buried my face in my hands. It felt as if Jake's pain was lancing my heart and mind as well. "Yes," he said, confirming my thought, "I can feel it. It's very similar to a pain I felt myself, several months before you were born. That's what I wanted to talk to you about, Nessie. I just hope you'll listen to my story so you can understand about your mother's relationship with Jacob."  
"I'll listen Dad, I promise," I responded. I was curious to know how his pain was connected to Jake's feelings for my mother. Had it been mere jealousy, a love triangle? He told me the story of how, at one time, he believed my mother was dead. I was shocked. I sat up straighter, paying strict attention. He explained how, after falling in love with my mother, she'd been hunted by a sadistic vampire, how he'd fought to protect her and save her, and how she'd nearly been killed. Several months later, Jasper had tried to attack her when she'd accidentally cut herself. He'd decided then that he needed to leave her for her own good. It was the last thing he ever wanted to do, but he also felt it was the right thing for her at the time. Needless to say, my mother was heartbroken, devastated. She hadn't understood my father's reasoning. He'd had to lie to her, he said, as it was the only way she would have let him go. She'd gone into a near catatonic state, and stayed that way for nearly five months. When she resurfaced, she'd become friends with Jacob, finding solace in his company. They'd grown close, extremely close, and Jacob had fallen for her. My dad explained about the whole cliff diving incident, that Alice had seen it and thought that my mother had committed suicide. When he'd gotten the phone call from Rosalie about my mother's "death", he almost went insane with grief. He'd gone to the Volturi and asked them to kill him. I shuddered as he told me this. He must have really been out of his mind to do such a thing. Of course, Mom hadn't died, and she and Alice had flown to Italy to show him that she was still alive. Dad decided that he'd never leave her again after they'd been reunited.

He said he didn't care what they had to face after that, as long as they were together. But Jacob hadn't been able to get over my mother, even after she'd chosen my father. She'd realized she was in love with Jacob too, but she knew in her heart that my father was her destiny. She'd had to break Jake's heart, and he'd run away for a time, coming back to attend my parents' wedding reception. He'd stayed on the fringes of her life after that, not quite able to stay away from her. I winced. None of this was making me feel any better. "Wait, Nessie, just be patient and let me finish," Dad urged. I sighed and he continued. My mother's pull on Jacob only got stronger while she was pregnant with me, and he'd visited her every day, several times a day. Jake was sure my mother's life was going to end, that she wouldn't survive my birth, so he wanted to spend as much time with her as possible. He knew my father was planning on transforming her into a vampire the second I emerged, but he didn't have much faith in that plan. Of course, it had ultimately worked out, with me being born healthy and my father being able to save my mother. The moment Jake had looked into my eyes, as Rose had been feeding me, he'd imprinted on me. Dad told me that he'd seen what it had been like through Jake's eyes. His whole world had come together in the instant he'd realized that I was his reason for existing. I frowned. "So, basically, what you're saying is that Jake's feelings for Mom were trumped by his imprinting on me?" I didn't know if I was comfortable with that. Jake had told me that he'd had no choice in who he imprinted on. None of the wolves did. So was I supposed to be satisfied that everything had magically and conveniently worked out for Jake when he couldn't have my mother?

"That's not exactly the way it happened," Dad said, smiling gently at me. "When Jacob imprinted on you, it wasn't only his existence that made sense; the truth behind his feelings for your mother also became clear to him."  
"I don't understand Daddy," I frowned again, absently plucking up blades of grass.  
"Don't you see, Nessie? You're the reason Jacob was so attracted to your mother, why he couldn't stay away from her. Even before you were conceived, you had an amazingly strong pull for him. He was connected to you, to your very essence, before you were even thought of. You were the one that was drawing them together all along." I was silent as I pondered everything he'd just told me. I looked up to see my mother standing in the garden and I smiled at her, tears stinging my eyes. She rushed over to me and took me in her arms. "Mom," I sobbed, "I'm so sorry for the way I've been treating you."  
"Honey, you have nothing to apologize for. I understand why you've been so upset. I'm sorry that you had to find out about Jake and I the way you did, that you had to suffer so much pain," she said softly, brushing my hair back from my face. "You deserve better than that."  
"Dad was just explaining everything to me. I'm sorry I didn't give you the chance to tell me. I was just so mad, so hurt…if I hadn't been so stubborn, if I'd just listened to you…" I trailed off.  
"Yes, I heard everything your father said. And it's alright Nessie. It's in your nature to be stubborn. Face it kid, you're just like me," she laughed. She took my hands and grew serious. "I was hoping that you'd never have to know about Jake and me because I knew it would hurt you deeply. But honey, what Jake and I had was all because of you, as your father said. We just didn't understand that until after you'd been born and Jake imprinted on you. I felt just as drawn to him as he was to me when I was pregnant with you, but all those feelings of romantic love disappeared when I woke up to my new life. Jake's feelings for me went away as well. The love that Jake feels for you is the kind that never fades away, a forever kind of love. The same kind your father and I share." Mom gazed at Dad lovingly and his face glowed with adoration as he reached over to stroke her cheek. "I'm so glad that you know the entire truth," she said, turning back to me. "Now that everything is out in the open, you and Jake can start to heal and move on with your relationship."

I knew firsthand what it was like to experience that kind of love. As angry and hurt as I'd been, I'd never stopped wanting Jake. A warmth began to seep into my veins as the realization of my parents' words sunk in. Jake really loved me. He'd only thought he'd been in love with my mother because she'd always had the potential to create me. They had never told me any of this because none of them had wanted to hurt me, hadn't wanted me to take it the wrong way. Which is exactly what I'd done. Jake had been beating himself up about this for months, needlessly wallowing in guilt, and I'd been none the wiser. But I had proven him right, hadn't I? I had reacted exactly the way he probably thought I would. I was ashamed of myself. I'd treated everyone so horribly because I was self-absorbed. I'd been spoiled my entire life, always expecting everyone to give me everything I wanted, no matter the cost. I was a terrible person, a monster.  
"That's not true, Renesmee," my father said sternly. "You are a wonderful person, a loving, kind, beautiful, special young woman. I couldn't be prouder of you. You had your heart broken, sweetheart. Sometimes we lash out at others when we're hurting. You didn't know the whole story, and you'd been devastated."  
Mom pulled me into her arms again, stroking my hair and giving my father a questioning look. He quickly explained to her that I was berating myself.  
"That's because I was too stubborn to listen to the truth," I whispered. "Jake tried to tell me that night, and Mom tried to talk to me more times than I can count. I should have stopped and listened."  
"Don't, honey. We love you so very much. Please don't be so hard on yourself," Mom whispered.  
"We all make mistakes, Nessie. Heaven knows I've made my share. I made the biggest mistake of my life when I left your mother, and I will regret it until the day I cease to exist," he said softly, taking my mother's hand and kissing her palm.  
"Edward," she breathed, pain in her voice. She put the hand he'd kissed against his cheek. He placed his hand over hers and smiled reassuringly at her, then turned back to me.  
"Jacob will forgive you, sweetheart," he continued, "if you really feel the need to apologize to him at all. If I had my way, he'd be on his knees right here in front of you, begging you to forgive him."  
"Oh Daddy, I love you," I half laughed, half sobbed.  
"I love you too Nessie. You'll always be my little girl and I'll always do everything within my power to make you happy. You deserve happiness. Never forget that." He kissed my forehead tenderly.  
"Nessie honey, I think you need to talk to Jake, let him know that you understand everything now," Mom murmured. I nodded, and got to my feet. Mom and Dad followed me back into the cottage, where I found Jake waiting for me in the living room. I gasped in surprise. Mom must have called him and told him to come over. I glanced at my parents, who were holding each other, leaning in the doorway. They were smiling.

Jake had an indefinable look on his face. I couldn't tell if it was fear, worry, sadness, anxiety, or a combination of them all. I stood there for a moment, just looking at him. He looked horrible, like he had lost some weight and hadn't slept in months. He stared back at me, desperately drinking in the sight of me, as if he was afraid I might vanish any second and he'd never see me again. I couldn't believe how foolish I'd been to cut him out of my life. A flurry of mixed emotions propelled me into his arms. I embraced him with every bit of my strength, locking my arms around his neck, never wanting to let him go. He held me tentatively at first, then with more strength and assurance as he realized I wasn't going to let go of him any time soon. My tears soaked the front of his shirt and he began to quiver with emotions I could only guess at.  
"Promise me that we'll never be apart again," he whispered in my ear. His voice cracked and was hoarse, like he hadn't spoken in a long time.  
I looked up into his eyes, and said solemnly, "I promise, Jacob. We'll never be apart, ever again. I love you and I want to be with you always."  
I was slightly puzzled at the questioning look in his eyes. "Are you sure? Is it me you really want?" he asked. I frowned. How could he possibly doubt that he was the one?  
"It's you Jake," I assured him. "It's always been you." I pulled his face down to mine and kissed him softly. He lifted me off the floor without breaking the kiss. We melted into one another. We were the only people in the world.


	15. Chapter 14

**Warning this chapter is very sad and will probably reduce you to tears like it did to me when I first read it.**

**Chapter 14**

Leah

Air whooshed in and out of my lungs. My claws tore into the soft earth, and the trees became nothing but a greenish gray blur as I flew through the forest. I absolutely loved to run. It was the very best part of being a wolf, the only time I felt truly free. Of course, it was a pain in the butt to have my pesky little brother in my head, not to mention Jake and the others. I knew that they were all irritated with me right now, but oh well. Too bad, so sad. I couldn't help the way I felt. I'd thought that leaving La Push would be therapeutic for me, would give me the chance to spread my wings, so to speak, and start a new life. I'd thought it would help me get over Sam. No such luck. I felt as strongly for him now as I always had. The others in the pack thought it was high time that I got over him and moved on with my life. All the time I'd spent in Seattle hadn't done one bit of good in that department. I hadn't been able to stop thinking about him. It hadn't been a total waste of time, though. At least I was now an RN. I'd worked hard for my nursing license. Helping others had softened me quite a bit, and living in the city had been a good experience for me. I'd met a lot of interesting people in school and had even gone out on a few casual dates, never going out with the same person more than a few times. I knew that it would be impossible for me to get really serious with anyone. It's kind of hard to develop a meaningful relationship when you are bound by so many secrets. I couldn't even imagine what it would be like to tell some guy my biggest secret. Exactly how would a conversation like that go? I love you too, honey. Oh hey, guess what? I can transform into a massive, horse-sized wolf. Just thought you might like to know that. So, should we go for Chinese or Indian food tonight? I snorted. Yeah, that would go over just swell.

I had taken a lot of yoga and meditation classes while I'd been in Seattle, and had even visited a shrink for a few months in an attempt to try and give up my wolf. My efforts had all been in vain. I hadn't phased quite as much when I'd been off by myself, but it hadn't completely gone away. I still phased every so often, which made life very difficult indeed. It wasn't easy to hide something like that in the big city, surrounded by tons of strangers. I had hoped that maybe, just maybe, if I could give up my wolf, I might be able to have a normal relationship with a man, a secret-free relationship. Maybe I'd even get over Sam that way. But as long as I continued to phase, I knew I'd never have a life of my own. I'd never be able to fall in love and marry, let alone have babies. The male wolves in the packs that had imprinted didn't know how lucky they were. They were free to settle down, carry on some semblance of a normal life, could pass on their bloodlines to their children. I, on the other hand, was stuck. Frozen by my own nature, bound to Jake and his pack, bound to a life of servitude. Could anyone really blame me for hanging on to my bitterness? And, to top it all off, I now got the added bonus of witnessing Sam and Emily's blissful marriage reach it's apex as they now had not one, not two, but three babies on the way. Life just didn't get any better than that. I was grateful to have Jake back in my life, at least. He was the only one who seemed to understand my pain. He'd just gone through several months of torture himself. After I'd revealed the truth to Nessie about Jake's and Bella's past, she'd refused to have anything to do with him. He'd gone around like a zombie all that time, barely speaking, barely eating. He hadn't slept all that much either. I'd helped him through that horrible time as best I could, assuring him that she'd get over it sooner or later and come running back to him. Everyone had been pissed at me, feeling that I should have kept my mouth shut and minded my own business, but I felt like Jake was my business. If one of us was miserable, then we'd all be miserable. It was best for Nessie to know the truth. No relationship could have a solid foundation when the people involved were holding back. Jake hadn't been mad at me, though. He'd wanted Nessie to know how he'd once felt for Bella, but he hadn't known how to tell her himself. I'd simply helped him out. I'd known everything would work out in the end. As a matter of fact, Jake and Nessie were making up right now, at Edward and Bella's cottage. I was sure I'd get all the gory details as soon as Jake phased again. Yuck. I was happy that they were working things out, but I wasn't particularly looking forward to that part. I'd witnessed more than my fair share of mushiness since I'd been back.  
AAARROOOOOO!  
Speak of the devil. Jake's howl pierced the stillness of the evening, breaking through my train of thought.  
Something's up Leah. We'd better go check it out. Seth's voice was quiet and concerned.  
Yeah, thanks, I got that, I thought, sarcasm heavy in my tone. I turned around and headed for the direction of the cottage, arriving in record time. I was the first of our pack to reach Jake, of course.  
What's up, Jake? I questioned. The others came out of the trees, skidding to a stop around Jake.  
Emily's gone into labor. Sam just called. There was slight undertone of worry to his thoughts.  
What? She's only seven months along. It's too early, I said, although I knew that women who carried multiple babies often went into labor a little earlier than usual. As bitter as I was about Emily's happiness and family-to-be, I loved her dearly. She had always been more like a sister to me than a second cousin. Worry clouded my own mind.  
Sue's already there, but Sam…well, he asked if you'd go too, Leah. To help Sue out. Jake was extremely uncomfortable telling me this.  
Emily had insisted on giving birth at home, as was the tradition in our family. I thought it was foolhardy, what with her being pregnant with triplets. There was so much that could go wrong. I closed my eyes briefly and tried to stifle all my negative thoughts about Emily.  
Of course I'll go. Before anyone could say another word, I was off, running as fast as my legs would carry me toward La Push.

My mother had left some clothes for me on Emily's front stoop. I picked them up with my teeth, then hurried into the trees to phase. Sam was nervously pacing the tiny kitchen when I entered the house.  
"How is she?" I asked, putting my hand on his shoulder.  
"Sue says she's dilated six centimeters. Her contractions are spiking off the charts. She's refusing any drugs," he answered, his words coming out so rapidly I barely caught them all. His eyes were wild and his hair was sticking straight up from his scalp, as if he'd been trying to pull it out. Probably had been. "It's going to be okay, Sam. Mom and I will take care of her." I walked toward the back of the house and entered Emily's bedroom.  
"Leah," she gasped, smiling wanly as soon as she saw me. I was shocked at her appearance. Her face was gray and covered in sweat, her beautiful hair plastered to her forehead. Her cheekbones were too sharp, too prominent in her face. Her lips were chalky and dry looking.  
"I'm so…glad…" she panted, her weak voice breaking off as her face twisted in agony. Another contraction had started. I glanced at the monitor. Sam was right. The readout showed her contractions as mountains, dipping down low at the end of each one, only to shoot back up to the next peak not even five minutes later.  
"Emily, don't speak. Take some deep, cleansing breaths." I sat carefully on the bed next to her and took one of her cold, frail hands. She nodded slightly and met my eyes as we breathed through her contraction together. After a minute and a half, her face relaxed slightly as the pain began to fade.  
"Thank you Leah," she whispered. "I'm so happy that you came." She gave me another weak smile. I took the damp cloth from the bedside table and gently wiped her face with it.  
"Mom, her mouth looks really dry. Can we give her some water?" I asked.  
She shook her head. "Ice chips. Tell Sam to get them." Mom snapped on some latex gloves. "I need to examine her again, see if she's dilated any more." Her face was filled with worry, her mouth set in a hard line. I went out to the kitchen to get Sam.  
"Is she ok?" he asked frantically, gripping the tops of my arms.  
"She just had another bad contraction, and now Mom is checking her cervix. She wants some ice chips," I said. I felt so bad for Sam. I wished there was something I could say to make him feel better, but I was just as worried as he was. Emily did not look good. I had a bad feeling about this. Dammit, why did she have to be so stubborn? Why couldn't she have just gone to the freaking hospital? An earsplitting scream filled the entire house. Sam and I bolted for Emily's room.  
"WHAT! What is it?" Sam shouted. "What's wrong with her?"  
Mom had gone pale as a sheet. "She's dilated nine centimeters. Her contractions are coming too quickly and the pain is too much for her. These babies are ready to be born, right now."  
I watched the color drain from Sam's face as he stood still as stone, watching Emily thrash around on the bed, screaming at the top of her lungs. He whipped his head from side to side, as if trying to shake off his momentary paralysis. He flew to Emily's side, gripping one of her hands tightly in both of his. "What can we do for her Sue? There's got to be something." His face was set in grim determination.  
"It's too late for drugs. There's nothing I can do for her except help her get those babies out. Emily," Mom said in a stern tone. "Emily, I need you to focus. Look at my face sweetheart, and concentrate. Keep breathing and don't push until I tell you to." Mom propped one of Emily's legs up, indicating that I should prop up her other leg.  
"Oh please please Sue….let me push…I HAVE to push NOW…oh please please," Emily wailed. "It hurts…oh god help me it hurts….." her voice broke off into another scream.  
"SUE!" Sam shouted. "DO something!"  
But my mother was frozen. She was staring at the white, flower patterned sheet beneath Emily, which had abruptly turned red. Emily's blood soaked through the sheet in seconds, spreading rapidly to the edges of the mattress.  
"Oh my God," Mom breathed. "Leah, call Carlisle. Hurry."

Carlisle arrived in less than a minute, not bothering to drive. Edward was close behind him as they sprinted to Emily's room. Carlisle quickly glanced at the bloodied sheets, then moved to Emily's side to check her blood pressure. Edward went to the other side of the bed, putting two fingers on her bony wrist to find her pulse.  
"Her blood pressure is extremely low," Carlisle said in a quiet tone. "Emily, can you hear me?" He placed a hand on her cheek and looked down at her face. Her eyes were rolling wildly in their sockets and her body began to jerk convulsively. Mom moved to the end of the bed and informed Carlisle that she could see one of the babies' heads emerging.  
"Emily, you must push. The babies are coming," Carlisle leaned close to her and took her face in his hands. She struggled to meet his eyes. She nodded almost imperceptibly and bore down. I went to my mother's side to help her, grabbing one of the many receiving blankets folded on the dresser.  
The first baby was born less than a minute later. He was so tiny, so fragile looking. I quickly wrapped him in the blanket and carried him to one of the cribs that Carlisle had managed to obtain from the hospital nursery. I carefully lay him down and cleared his air passages. I sobbed with relief when he started to wail. Tears rolled down my face and I smiled as I took in his beauty. The next baby came a few minutes later, another little boy. He was slightly bigger than the first baby, crying loudly as I wrapped him in another blanket and gently placed him in his crib.  
"Edward?" He turned to look at me, and I gestured to the squirming babies. "Would you mind?" He nodded and began checking the babies' vitals. I went back to my mother, ready with a blanket to receive the last baby.  
"We're going to have a problem with this one," Mom said grimly. "He's breach."  
Carlisle gestured for me to switch places with him. I watched the monitors closely while he helped Mom. Sam held Emily's face in his hands, murmuring to her and kissing her forehead. She continued to twitch and jerk, sweat rolling down her cheeks, panting like she had just run a marathon. The last baby finally emerged, struggling and shrieking.  
"It's a girl," Mom whispered, wrapping her in a blanket and crooning to her softly. Emily's body relaxed by minute degrees, and she closed her eyes wearily, a slight smile on her lips.  
"Em? Honey, wake up. Say something, please," Sam urged. "Carlisle? Is she going to be okay?" He turned to stare at Carlisle, a crazy look in his eyes.  
"She's lost a massive amount of blood, Sam. Her vital signs are extremely poor. I'll do everything I can for her." His voice was quiet and serious. He had a defeated expression on his face. I felt my stomach drop to the floor. He just had to save her. He moved back to the head of the bed, working over Emily with quick, sure hands. I walked slowly toward the cribs to help my mom clean the babies up. Edward said that all of them appeared to be healthy, but we'd need to get them to the hospital as soon as possible so they could be examined more thoroughly by a pediatrician.  
I looked up to see that Carlisle had stopped working on Emily. He stood like a statue beside the bed. He met my eyes, and shook his head slightly, his mouth set in a hard line, sadness evident in his expression. I nodded once briefly and locked my jaws to contain the screams of fury and grief that were threatening to explode from my lungs. Emily was going to die. There was nothing more we could do to save her.  
"Sue?" Emily croaked. "Can I…please hold my babies?"  
Mom carried one of the boys over to her, carefully placing him in Emily's trembling arms.  
"Levi," she whispered. She leaned down to kiss his face. She moved her lips to his ear and murmured in our native language. I knew she was speaking a blessing over him, as was the Quileute tradition. She kissed him again, then handed him to Sam. Sam looked down at the baby in his arms with an incomprehensible expression. Mom brought the next little boy over to Emily. She held him and spoke his name with a smile on her lips. "Samuel." She kissed him and uttered another blessing. I took the baby from her as Mom gave her the tiniest baby, the little girl. Emily's face glowed for a brief moment as she bent to kiss the baby's cheeks and nose. She turned to Sam with a questioning look. He met her gaze, eyes shining with tears. Emily nodded to herself, then said, "Nayeli." I couldn't stop the tears from flowing as she named her daughter. 'Nayeli' was an old Native American name that meant "I love you."  
Sam sobbed openly, his whole body shaking. He hadn't missed the look between Carlisle and me. I took Levi from him and cradled him in my arms. Mom took Nayeli as Emily closed her eyes. Her arms drooped down to her sides.

"Em, please…please don't leave me. You have to fight Em. For me. For the…babies. Please stay with me. I can't live without you." He took her face in his hands once more, continuing to plead with her.  
"Sam." Carlisle's voice was almost inaudible. "I have the power to save her, if that is your wish."  
I couldn't believe my ears. Was he honestly offering to turn Emily into a vampire? I knew it was in Carlisle's nature to want to save the dying, but saving her like that…it was just…wrong.  
"No," Sam said through gritted teeth. He struggled to compose himself, taking several deep breaths. "I don't want her to die, but what you're offering…it goes against our very nature. I can't bear to think about her being like that…like you."  
Carlisle nodded sympathetically. He'd probably known that Sam would refuse, but had felt the need to offer anyway.  
"Sam," Mom said gently, stepping over to put her hand on his shoulder. "Let her go, Sam. There's nothing else we can do for her. You'll see her again someday, in the spirit world."  
Sam looked torn. As much as he might not want to envision her as a vampire, I knew the offer had to be tempting him. But what kind of life could they have together? If she were to become a vampire, she might not even feel the same way about Sam anymore, and what about the babies? There was no way she could be allowed to be around them. I shuddered as I remembered the fight with the newborns all those years ago. They'd been so wild, crazed with bloodlust. I couldn't imagine Emily like that, couldn't imagine that she would choose that life for herself.

"Emily?" Sam questioned softly. The only way he would agree to it would be if that's what she wanted.  
Her eyelids fluttered and her eyes opened slowly. She reached up with a shaky hand to caress Sam's face. "No, Sam. Our people were…born of the earth…and… to the earth…I must return," she managed to say. Her breathing was labored, and she'd gone paler than ever. She struggled to sit up straighter, and Sam gently tried to push her back down. "Em, don't," he begged. A strange gleam lit up her eyes and her voice came out a little stronger. "Leah," she said, beckoning me to come to her. I leaned over her bed, getting as close to her as I could so she wouldn't have to use up any more of her dwindling strength to raise her voice. She grasped my hands tightly. "Promise," she choked out, "promise me that you'll take care of my babies. I'm…I'm entrusting their lives…to you. Sam is… going to need help. Please…promise me."  
My body trembled as I wept, sorrow wracking my insides. "Oh Emily. I promise. I promise you that I'll take care of your children. I'll love them with everything I have in me."  
"I know you will. I wouldn't…think to ask…anyone else." She smiled and turned to Sam. She reached for him and he carefully took her in his arms. "I love you Sam. Never…forget that. Keep me in your heart….always."  
Sam cradled her, rocking her back and forth. "Emily, Emily. You are my heart. You're everything to me. How am I supposed to survive without you?" Tears slid down his face, dripping down to mingle with Emily's tears.  
"Ssshhh," she whispered. "We'll be together again, my love." She slowly raised her head to peer over his shoulder toward the ceiling and gasped. "Oh Sam…it's so…beautiful." Her eyes closed, a small smile on her lips. Her last breath came out in a sigh as she died in his arms.

Mom walked over and picked up one of the braided ropes of sage that Emily had kept on top of her dresser. She lit it with a match and began waving the smoke around the room. Her face was tear-streaked as she softly whispered one of our traditional prayers. Then she left the room, coming back with fresh towels and washcloths. She slowly moved to Emily's bed, where Sam continued to rock with her, and quietly told Sam she needed to get Emily cleaned up. He snarled at her, refusing to let go of Emily. Mom backed off and didn't say a word. She looked at me and gestured toward the babies. I handed Levi and Samuel to her. I held Nayeli against my chest, laying her tiny head on my shoulder as we went into the living room. Carlisle and Edward followed us. Carlisle looked like he'd be crying if he could. Edward had a mixture of emotions on his face. I knew that he'd witnessed far more than any of the rest of us had. He'd seen what Emily had seen at the end of her life, and I was a little curious to know exactly what that had been. The agony of Emily's passing was crushing, and I guess I was just desperate for reassurance. He answered my unspoken thought in a solemn tone. "Emily saw the spirit world before she passed on. I saw it through her eyes, and it was magnificent. I can assure you that she is now at rest in a beautiful place, surrounded by her ancestors." A look of wonderment filled his face. Then he winced slightly, and I knew he was probably thinking about what he'd seen in Sam's mind. He nodded at me in confirmation, but didn't say anything. He was most likely protecting everyone else from that devastating pain. We were all in enough pain as it was. I couldn't imagine what Sam must be going through right now. To lose a loved one was horrible enough, but for wolf to lose the person he'd imprinted on…Jake's pain had been bad enough when Nessie had cut him out of her life. Sam's pain had to be a million times worse. But unlike Jake and Nessie, he would never be reunited with Emily. Not in this world, at least. Edward's face contorted with anguish in response to my thoughts. I guessed he'd feel the same way if he ever lost Bella. As uncomfortable as I still felt around the Cullens, I didn't want Edward to suffer through Sam's pain any longer than he had to. I knew how bad it could be to be in someone else's head, to experience their sorrow. "Why don't you and Carlisle go back home now. You'll need to let Jake and the others know…what's happened." A lump was forming in my throat, making it increasingly hard to speak. "My mother and I thank you for your help Carlisle, Edward."  
Carlisle nodded solemnly. "I'm so very sorry for your loss. I'm sorry I couldn't do more to save her." His voice was thick with emotion. He was probably thinking about what he could have done, but hadn't been allowed to.  
"You did everything that was given to you to do, Carlisle. We couldn't have safely delivered the babies without your help. I know Emily would be grateful to you," Mom said. She reached out tentatively and shook his hand. She nodded at Edward.  
"Sue, would you like us to stay and help you with…Sam?" Edward asked.  
"Thank you, but we can handle Sam. He just needs some time. It's going to be very hard for him in the years to come. He may never fully recover," Mom said softly. They both nodded thoughtfully, then gave us their condolences before they left.  
Mom and I tended to the babies for awhile. We bathed them and dressed them, and I prepared some bottles for them. When they were all asleep, we carried them to the nursery that Emily had worked so hard to decorate. She'd painted the room a sunny yellow, with a border of little blue birds in flight. I remembered the day I'd helped her with the trim, the way she'd laughed, flicking paint on me. I'd helped her hang the baby blue curtains too. I sobbed quietly. She would have been an excellent mother. She'd dearly loved each of her babies before they were even born, talking incessantly about her excitement, about how she couldn't wait to meet them. She hadn't had any of the normal mom-to-be nervous jitters. She was certain that she'd been born for this, that she was ready to be a mom. It wasn't fair that it had all been taken away from her before she'd gotten the chance to really experience it.

"Should we go check on Sam?" I whispered.  
"You go on honey. I'm going to sit in here for awhile and keep an eye on the babies," Mom answered, sitting in the white rocking chair in the corner, the one Emily had refinished.  
I closed the door to the nursery softly and crossed the hall to Emily's room. I raised my hand to knock on the door, but before I could, Sam burst from the room and stormed past me. The look on his face terrified me. It was a dead look, completely devoid of any emotion. He hadn't even seemed to see me. I hurried after him. "Sam? Sam please stop and talk to me. Sam, where are you-"  
My voice broke off as he slammed the front door in my face. The silence he left behind was deafening, making my ears ring. A few seconds later, I heard a crashing sound, like trees being torn down in the forest. Another minute passed. A heart wrenching howl pierced the silence in the little house, pierced the stillness of the forest, pierced right through my soul. I sank to my knees, put my hands over my ears, and cried. I cried for Emily, for Sam, for the babies that no longer had a mother, and I cried for myself. I wrapped my arms across my chest and rocked back and forth, letting the desolation consume me.

. I sank to my knees, put my hands over my ears, and cried. I cried for Emily, for Sam, for the babies that no longer had a mother, and I cried for myself. I wrapped my arms across my chest and rocked back and forth, letting the desolation consume me. I don't know how long I sat that way, but it must have been a while because when I looked out the living room window, the sky was streaked with pink and orange, the soft tones of sunset. I rose shakily to my feet and went to the kitchen sink. I splashed cold water on my face and stumbled back to the nursery to check on the babies. Mom was asleep in the rocking chair. The babies were still asleep in their cradles, lined up against the wall. I stared at them and wondered how in the world I was going to do this. I had no idea when Sam would return, or even if he would return. Emily must have been out of her mind when she'd asked me to watch over her children. I'd wanted children myself for years, but I had no idea how to be a mother. I hadn't had nine months to get used to the prospect.

Before I could totally freak out and run away screaming, an inexplicable feeling of peace washed over me. I glanced over my shoulder, half expecting to see Jasper there. There was no one else in the room besides my sleeping mother and the teeny infants. Was I going crazy? I didn't think so. But there was something here. Something in the air had shifted, had changed infinitesimally . A warm breeze drifted in through the open window, gentle and sweet. It seemed to whisper to me. At that moment, a strange feeling surged through me. My body trembled and for a split second, I had a terrifying thought: I couldn't phase right here, right in front of the babies! But I didn't phase. I felt something go out from me, something intangible from the center of my being. For just a moment, I felt hollow, like there was now an empty place in my soul. I looked down at the tiny, beautiful faces of Levi, Samuel, and Nayeli. The emptiness instantly disappeared and was replaced with a love so strong, so powerful, that it was almost terrifying in it's fierceness. It was like nothing I'd ever felt before. I was sure then, as that love filled my entire being and made me complete, that I had lost my wolf self. I would never phase again. I had found my purpose in this life.


	16. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

Nessie

I drummed my fingers on my desk impatiently, glancing at the clock on the wall every few seconds. I was anxious for my Spanish class to end so I could get to gym and watch the clock on the wall there. I wanted the school day to be over. I'd promised Leah I would come by Emily's house after school to help her with the babies for a few hours. I couldn't wait to see the little ones again. They were so adorable. Leah was doing an excellent job of raising them, but it had to be a daunting task to care for three babies at once. We'd all taken turns helping her out. Sue was there as much as possible, as well as Seth and Jacob. My mother had also been there a few times, along with Grandpa Charlie. She wasn't comfortable enough to leave her post in the woods surrounding the school very often, though. But I was glad she was helping Leah. Leah needed the support way more than I needed to be looked after. It had been a month since Emily's passing, and Sam had still not returned to La Push. He'd taken off in his wolf form the day Emily had died and no one had heard from him since then. I'd asked Jake if he thought Sam would ever come back, but he didn't know. He had sympathized with Sam of course, understanding that Sam was in excruciating pain, but I got the feeling Jake was a little angry with him too.

"Sam's dad, Joshua, was never any kind of father to him. He was barely around, finally taking off when Sam was real little. He never came back. You'd think that Sam wouldn't want to do that to his own children, seeing as how he knows what it feels like to be abandoned." Jake had explained this to me when we'd spent most of one Saturday with Leah.  
"Sam is a good man, Jacob. He'll come back when he feels the time is right," Leah stated firmly. I hadn't know what to say. The entire situation was so horrible. Levi, Samuel, and Nayeli were the only bright spots in the gloom that hung over all of us. Emily's funeral had been extremely depressing. Old Quil Ateara had performed the ceremony at the Quileute burial ground, high on one of the many cliffs surrounding First Beach. There had been many people in attendance, the entire Makah and Quileute tribes as well as my whole family. It had been a gloomy day. We'd all dressed in black and carried umbrellas to shelter ourselves from the drizzling rain. Old Quil had worn traditional ceremonial robes and had sung tribal songs in his high- pitched, quavering voice. He'd recited several prayers, both in English and in his native tongue. When the service ended, Jake had accompanied me back to the cottage, where we'd sat on the living room couch holding each other in silence. Neither of us had wanted to go to the reception that Sue and Charlie were hosting at his house. Thinking back to that miserable day brought tears to my eyes. Emily was such a sweet person. She'd always treated me with nothing but kindness. Her loss was a devastating blow to many people.

Ms. Goff swept into the room, distracting me from my disturbing thoughts. She'd been called to the administration office and came back with a large package in her hands. She set the package on her desk and then turned to address us, her face glowing with excitement.  
"I have an announcement to make, class." She waited for us to quiet down so she could continue.  
"A few months ago, I received an email from a new private loan company based in Seattle. In order to promote their business, the heads of the company decided to offer the foreign language department of every high school in the state the chance to win an all-expenses paid, two week trip to the city of their choice. I filled out the application, sent it in….and guess what? We WON!" She exclaimed, clapping her hands and bouncing up and down. The class broke out in applause, along with much cheering and shouting. "Settle down people, we need to go over a few details before the bell rings," Ms. Goff said, not quite able to keep the grin off her face. "Now, as we have been learning about the wonderful customs and language of Spain, I have decided that we should go to Madrid." More clapping and cheering broke out at this pronouncement. Ms. Goff raised her voice, struggling to be heard over the uproar. "I will be hosting a meeting one week from today, at 6pm in the gymnasium for your parents. Please urge them to come, as this will be an information night where they will learn all the details of our impending trip. Hopefully some of them will sign up to be chaperones. I'll be sending home some information packets with you, as well. This is a great honor for us, students, and we should treat it as such. Remember, this will not just be a pleasure trip. We will be learning as much about the Spanish culture as possible." The bell rang then, and everyone jumped from their seats, talking animatedly about the trip. Some of the boys were high- fiving one another, while the girls were hugging, squealing, and clapping. Wren rushed over to me as I was heading out the door. "Oh my goodness! Madrid! It's going to be so much fun, I just can't wait!" she gushed, putting an arm around my waist as we walked toward the gymnasium. "Sounds like a blast," I muttered. Wren looked at me quizzically for a moment. "Aren't you excited? This is the coolest thing ever! I mean, it's a once in a lifetime opportunity. There aren't too many of us here in Forks that can afford to travel to another country. I've always wanted to see other countries, but my parents aren't exactly rolling in dough, if you know what I mean." When I didn't immediately respond to her animated chatter, she stopped in the middle of the sidewalk, pulling on the back of my jacket to make me stop too. "Wait a second…you are going on the trip, right? Please tell me you're going!" She had such a panicked expression on her face that I had to smile. "I don't know, Wren. Probably not. My parents…er, guardians probably won't let me." I very much wanted to go to Madrid, but I knew my parents would never allow it. They wouldn't be able to travel on the plane with me. It would kind of blow their cover. Jake could always go with me of course, along with some of his pack, but my parents would never let me travel that far with only their protection. There's no way they would permit me to travel to another country for two weeks without them. They hadn't even let me go camping in the woods near our home without them watching over me the entire time. I knew it would be pointless to even ask.  
"Maybe I'll ask Carlisle and Esme to be chaperones. Maybe then they'd let me go," I said lamely, just to placate her.  
I didn't say a word about the trip on the way home. My parents already knew about it of course, but I was hoping that my silence on the subject would convey to them that I had no intention of making a fuss about it. I didn't think it was worth the argument that would surely ensue. My parents didn't say much either. When we pulled up in front of the house, I was surprised to see both of them get out of the car. They knew I was planning on going to Emily's as soon as I dropped off my book bag. Surely one of them was going to accompany me…?

"Don't worry Nessie. We called Alice from school, and she's already watching Emily's house. Seth and Quil, are there too. Embry is waiting by the highway to follow you. Your mother and I will be staying home. We have some… things to do," Dad said, grabbing my backpack, that familiar crooked smile on his face.  
"You have to drive straight to Emily's though. No stops along the way. And call us as soon as you get there," Mom instructed.  
"O…kay." I was confused. But hey, if they were starting to relax a little, to let down their constant guard a tad, who was I to complain? They needed to chill out some. I drove off, catching brief glimpses of Embry now and then as he ran through the trees on the side of the highway. When I got to Emily's house, Leah was preparing some bottles for the babies.  
"Just in time," she grinned, handing me one of the bottles and a burping cloth.  
I scooped up little Levi from his swing and settled him in the crook of my arm, getting comfortable on the couch. Leah held Nayeli in her arms, rocking her and feeding her in the overstuffed recliner in the corner. Samuel continued to swing happily, sucking on a pacifier and staring at his tiny hands in fascination. Leah and I had found that he was the most patient of the babies, so we always fed the smaller two first. Samuel didn't seem to mind.  
Levi was a little fussy today, and I couldn't say I blamed him. I wouldn't like it if I had to drink that awful formula either. The smell emanating from the bottle took me back to my own babyhood, and I remembered how Carlisle had tried to persuade me to drink the nasty stuff. I'd vehemently refused. Ugh. I shuddered a little, then gently placed two fingertips against Levi's tiny cheek to show him some beautiful, soothing images such as ocean waves crashing against the shore, the sun rising over the mountains in an array of gorgeous colors, and birds singing in the jade trees of the forest. My effort to calm him worked like a charm. He relaxed and began to suck from the bottle as I rocked him.  
Leah asked me about my day, and I told her about the upcoming trip to Madrid and how sad I was that I wasn't going.  
"So, Edward and Bella said no, huh?" She propped Nayeli up on her shoulder and patted her back gently.  
"Well, I never actually asked them if I could go," I admitted sheepishly. "I just didn't see the point. I already know what they'd say."  
"You should ask anyway. You never know, they might surprise you."  
Jake came by after work, and helped us give the babies a bath. He was a natural at caring for them, so sweet and gentle. As I watched Jake make silly faces at Samuel and listened to the baby's endearing little giggle, something tugged at my heart. I wondered…would it be possible for me to have children someday? Maybe I'd talk to Carlisle about it. I wondered what a child of Jake's and mine would be like…part vampire, part wolf, part human. It would definitely be a unique child. I let my mind wander, picturing a tiny baby in my arms, crooning to him as Jake leaned over my shoulder to gaze at the two of us lovingly… I blushed as Jake looked directly into my eyes at that moment, and the image vanished. He looked puzzled for a second, a small smile playing on his lips. Then the smile widened into a grin and his face lit up in understanding. He'd picked up on the direction of my thoughts, apparently. I smiled shyly back at him, then quickly looked down at my hands folded in my lap.  
He drove us back home a while later, telling me that he'd gotten a call from my mom at work; she'd asked him to have me home by 7 o'clock at the latest. I sighed. I guessed they hadn't completely let go of their manic worrying. Jake parked his car in the driveway, but instead of heading toward the cottage, he grabbed my hand and led me up the porch steps and into the main house. "What are you doing Jake? I need to get back home so I can do my homework."  
"Bells said to bring you here."  
"Why?" I asked.  
He shrugged. "I have no idea. I just figured I'd better do what they say so they don't ground you from seeing me." He winked and grinned at me.  
My entire family stood in a line in the middle of the large front room, grinning from ear to ear.

"Ok, what's this all about?" I questioned.  
"We have a surprise for you sweetheart," Mom said, her eyes shining with excitement. She and my father stepped out of the line toward me, then swept their arms simultaneously back the way they'd come, indicating that I should look behind them. Through the hole they'd made in the line, I could see a stack of brand new luggage. Luggage? Then it hit me. My hands flew to my face to cover my mouth. My eyes widened in shock.  
"No way!" I shouted. My voice was muffled by my hands, and everyone laughed. I quickly dropped them back down to my sides.  
"Are you guys letting me go to Spain? This is…awesome! It's unbelievable!" I exclaimed.  
"That's right Nessie. We're letting you go to Madrid with the rest of your classmates. We figure the trip will do us all some good," Dad said.  
"Wait…you're all coming with me?"  
"Yes, honey, isn't it great? As soon as your father and I heard the news, we came up with a plan. But it's kind of complicated, so we'll explain it to you later. Come and check out your new luggage!" Mom grabbed my hand, tugging me over to the pile of expensive luggage. "Rose went and picked it out for you while you were with Leah," Mom explained.  
"It's beautiful," I said. "Thank you so much. Thank you all. This is the best surprise ever!"  
Emmett grabbed me up in a bear hug, cutting off my air supply momentarily. Alice babbled on about shopping for new clothes for the trip, when we'd go, what we'd buy. She and Rose consulted each other on what the best attire for Spain would be. Jake poked me in the side playfully, and I knew he'd been in on this the whole time. I swatted his arm, then laughed and stood on my toes to hug him. I couldn't wait to call Wren to share my good news.

The next day at school, Ms. Goff passed out the information sheets, going over the key points with us. The trip was scheduled for the second week of June, immediately following the end of school and our graduation. The school was renting a bus to take us to Seattle, where we would stay the night in a hotel. All the kids were excited at the prospect of spending a night in the big city, but Ms. Goff assured us sternly that we would be well chaperoned, and we wouldn't be allowed to leave the hotel, or even roam the halls. We were informed that the hotel would allow up to four guests to a room, and we would get to pick our roommates. No co-ed rooming, of course. As a matter of fact, the boys would be staying on an entirely different floor. Wren passed me a note across the aisle.  
You, me, Marian, and Abby? it read.  
What about Cynthia? I wrote. She rolled her eyes and waved her hand at me dismissively, not bothering to write down an answer. Cynthia had pretty much become oblivious to the rest of the world as soon as she'd started dating Kade. She no longer sat with us at lunch, or even bothered to call any of us anymore. Occasionally, she'd give one of us a quick "hi" in the halls, but mostly she ignored everyone. She'd permanently attached herself to Kade's hip.

Ms. Goff told us we'd be leaving the hotel at 6am sharp the next morning to drive to the airport. Our flight to Atlanta would leave from Sea-Tac at 7:18am. We'd have a two hour layover in Atlanta, then it was a straight shot to Madrid. She'd included a schedule of activities she thought we'd enjoy during our stay. There were museums to visit, historical sections of the city, as well as a myriad selection of fine restaurants. The grant money would pay for everything. All we needed to bring was a little spending money for souvenirs. I was bouncing up and down in my seat with excitement. Of course, I'd been to Madrid before, but it would now be an entirely new experience, as I would get to see more of the city in the daytime. And Jake would be there. He'd been with us when we'd stayed there a couple of years ago, but we hadn't been in love then. I imagined what it would be like to walk through the romantic city with him, holding hands under the stars. I sighed. I knew we wouldn't get to spend that much time together, though. He had to remain hidden as much as possible, as he would be following me every place I went. But surely we'd find some way to sneak and spend a little time with each other…

The bell rang, interrupting my daydreams. I breezed through gym class, anxious to go over the information packet with my parents. They would need to strategize, revise their basic plan.  
Later that evening, I sat in the living room cottage with Jake and my parents, going over our plans. Mom and Dad, accompanied by Alice and Jasper, and Jake, along with Seth and Embry, were going to drive to Seattle and get rooms at the same hotel where I and my classmates would be staying. Then, my parents and Alice and Jasper would take an earlier flight out of Seattle so they could arrive in Atlanta before my plane landed. They would wait in the terminal for me, to make sure I got off the plane safely. Then, Mom and Dad were going to catch a flight to Philadelphia, where they'd board another plane for Madrid. Dad had checked the flight schedule online and had found that my plane was the only one leaving Atlanta for Madrid all day. Alice and Jasper would stay in Atlanta until my class departed, then they would head back to Washington. My parents' flight from Philadelphia would arrive in Madrid first too, since we had a longer layover in Atlanta. They would again wait in the terminal there to make sure I arrived safely. Jake, Embry, and Seth would accompany me on both of my flights. Dad was going to call the airline and hotels, and reserve all the seats and rooms. Alice had tried to foresee any problems with our trip, but hadn't been able to see my plane at all because of the wolves and me. The only things she saw were my parents' flights, arrivals, and departures. The last thing she'd been able to see was them standing in an airport in Madrid, waiting for my plane to land. She'd said that they didn't look worried or anxious to her, so we all felt fairly comfortable with the arrangement. We hadn't had any more trouble with my "stalker" since that night in December. I was beginning to wonder what all the fuss had been about. I seriously doubted that anyone was spying on me or following me. I was sure we'd have picked up some sort of evidence by now, despite Alice's blindness. It had probably just been a nomad roaming the woods. Besides, as I'd pointed out, even if I was being followed and that person happened to book a seat on my flight, what could they possibly do to me in midair? I didn't think any vampire, half or otherwise, would risk exposing themselves just to get to me. And Jake would be right there with me. Mom and Dad would basically be traveling the same route only a couple of hours ahead of me, and would be ready to meet me in each city. What could possibly go wrong?


	17. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

Complete chaos ruled on the last day of school, the day before our graduation. Our teachers didn't make us do any work, and all anyone did all day was gossip about the prom that had just passed (which I hadn't attended; I couldn't go with Jake, so why bother?) our upcoming graduation, the parties that were sure to follow, and summer plans. Our trip to Madrid was at the top of the list, of course. Everyone was riding high on waves elation for our coming freedom and transition into adulthood. My parents wanted very much to attend my graduation, but wouldn't be able to, naturally. Grandpa Charlie wouldn't even be able to come. He'd have no justification for being there. Carlisle and Esme were going to be in the audience with a camcorder to record the event, though, and I would show my parents everything with my special gift. It wouldn't be as good as physically being there, but it would be something, at least. The ceremony itself really wasn't all that special anyway. I wasn't nervous at all. I wasn't worried about college or starting a career, or starting a family and buying a house, or any of the other things human kids my age worried about. When one had the rest of eternity facing them, one tended not to dwell too long on the mundane. I didn't really think of my graduation as a milestone, or a rite of passage like all the other kids did. To me, it was simply another way for me to enjoy a taste of normal high school life. I didn't attend any of the post graduation parties. I just wanted to spend a quiet evening with my family. Alice pouted about not being able to throw me a party, but, as I pointed out to her, she wouldn't have been able to attend anyway.  
My family gave me some great gifts when we got back home, including an awesome selection of cd's, some clothing to take on my trip, and a new laptop computer. Jake kept grinning at me like a Cheshire cat the whole time I was opening my gifts. I heard Dad grumble under his breath from time to time, which only made Jake's smile grow bigger. I wondered what was up. Just as I was ready to head back to the cottage, visions of a hot bubble bath pervading my thoughts, Jake grasped my wrist and led me out the back door.  
We stopped by the river, and Jake turned to face me. He held both my hands in his.

"You didn't think I was going to let you go home without giving you your graduation present, did you?" He asked, a playful look on his face.  
"Oh Jake, you know I don't expect you to give me any presents. Just being with you is enough."  
He held my face between his rough, warm hands for a moment, gazing into my eyes. Then he went into the trees to phase. When he reappeared, I climbed on his back and we were off, racing through the trees, in the direction of La Push. When we were close to the cliffs, he phased again, and we walked hand in hand toward a set of huge boulders that sloped down about twenty feet to a little stretch of crescent-shaped beach that I'd never seen before. It was absolutely beautiful. The light from the full moon bleached the sand, and gentle waves crashed against the shore. A small fire burned near the cliff wall. Beside it lay a quilt with a picnic basket on top.  
"Jake, what did you do?" I smiled. He grinned and scooped me up, carrying me down the rocky slope to the little half hidden area.  
"This place is unbelievable. When did you set this up?" I asked.  
"Earlier," he answered vaguely, waving his hand dismissively. He set me on the blanket and sat down beside me. "I picked this place because not too many people know about it. Plus, it's kind of hard to get to. I wanted us to have some privacy."  
My heart sped up at his words and I twisted my hands nervously in my lap.

You look beautiful tonight. Of course, you look beautiful all the time, but I really like that dress," he nodded his head toward the white linen dress Alice had bought for me. It had spaghetti straps with a heart shaped bodice, and hugged my figure, flaring out at the waist to end right above my knees. I blushed a little and kicked off my sandals, burying my toes in the sand. Jake dug into the basket, producing some tasty bits of fresh fruit in a little airtight container and some salmon rolls he'd made himself.  
We ate for a while in silence, enjoying the cool ocean breeze and the warmth of the fire. The sand was soft and warm. It was so peaceful here, so relaxing. I lay back on the quilt and stretched contentedly. Jake lay beside me, propped up on one elbow, looking down at me. A million stars lit up the velvet dome above us. "Just look at that sky," I sighed. A few wispy clouds passed over the moon, casting moving shadows on the white beach.  
"I'd rather look at you," Jake murmured. I reached up and touched his cheek. He leaned down to kiss me softly. I wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him closer. He placed his free arm, the one he wasn't propping himself up with, around my waist, drawing me closer against him. Our kiss became deeper, more passionate. The beach, the stars, the night, everything around us disappeared as we breathed each other in, losing ourselves in each other once again. I could be with Jake like this every second of the day and never get tired of it. He was so beautiful, so strong, so amazing. Everything about him was perfect. He kissed his way slowly down my neck to my collarbone, tracing the length of it with his soft lips. I shivered and an unfamiliar sound escaped from me. Jake groaned against my skin and my body trembled. His mouth moved to the hollow of my throat, and slowly made it's way up to my ear. He mumbled something unintelligible.  
"What?" I gasped, my head spinning with dizziness. "What did you say?" My breath was coming so fast, I had to pant the words out.  
He drew back from me slightly, staring into my eyes. "I said, 'marry me'."  
I couldn't speak. My breath froze in my lungs and my eyes widened in disbelief. He pulled me into a sitting position and knelt in front of me, taking my hands in one of his. He reached into the front pocket of his jeans with his other hand. He placed a small, black satin box in my lap. I stared at it for a few minutes, not sure what to say or do. I was at a complete loss for words.  
"Go on and open it, silly," he laughed quietly at my dumbfounded expression.  
With shaking fingers, I fumbled with the lid of the box, finally managing to open it. Inside was a small, princess cut yellow diamond, surrounded by tiny diamond chips set in a gold band.  
"Oh Jake," I breathed.  
"Don't worry, it's real. I've been saving up my paychecks from the garage," he said with a half smile.  
I scowled at him. "I don't care if it's real, Jake. It's absolutely gorgeous." I tentatively brushed the ring with my fingertips.  
"So, will you…?"  
"Jake, I…I don't know what to say."  
"Say 'yes'. Don't you love me?" He grinned and playfully tugged a strand of my hair.  
"Of course I love you, you idiot," I smiled. "But marriage…?" I loved Jake with everything I had in me, but I didn't know if we were ready for this gigantic leap. "Shouldn't we think about this a little more?"  
"What's there to think about? We're in love, right? We were made for each other." He shrugged nonchalantly, but there was a serious gleam in his eyes.  
My heart was galloping in my chest. A few sweat beads formed on my temples. I breathed in deeply, trying to calm myself. Jake gingerly plucked the ring from the box and held it up in front of me.  
"Look, I'm not saying we have to get married tomorrow, or next week, or even next year. We can be engaged for as long as you want. I just want to know that you're mine, that you'll be mine forever. I've always been your Jacob. Show me that you'll always be my Nessie." His beautiful smile took my breath away.  
My eyes stung and my breathing began to hitch. I was indisputably certain that Jake was all that I'd ever want. I didn't need to think about it. He was right, we'd been made for one another. We fit together perfectly. I was hard pressed to think of a better match. I held my left hand out to him, steady and sure. I smiled as the tears slid down my face. His grin widened as he slid the ring onto my finger. I threw my arms around him and whispered, "Yes."


	18. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

I yawned hugely as we boarded the plane at Sea-Tac airport early Monday morning. I really shouldn't have stayed up so late last night, but it had been so much fun. Wren and the other girls and I had had a blast, painting each others' toes and listening to the radio, snarfing down chips and gossiping about boys. It was like a real sleepover party, just like the ones I'd seen on tv. I was paying for it now, though. I was completely exhausted. I stumbled to my seat in the coach section. I stuffed my carry on bag in the overhead compartment and flopped down next to the window. Wren chirped happily away next to me, perching on the edge of her seat, bouncing up and down excitedly. I gave her my most sour look. Nothing seemed to get that girl down. She had some serious mojo. I wished at that moment that I liked coffee. I could really use the caffeine. I still couldn't believe how quickly the weekend had flown by, and was even more taken aback at how much had happened. I'd gotten engaged Friday night. A thrill shot through me as I thought back to Jake's proposal. We'd rushed home immediately after my acceptance, to share the good news. Everyone already knew of course. Jake had asked my parents for my hand in marriage as I'd walked across the stage to receive my diploma. Dad wasn't thrilled about it, but had reluctantly agreed after Jake had convinced him that he planned for us to have a long engagement. Mom had been more compliant, taking it all in stride as the natural course of things. She'd hugged me and told me she was happy for me, but that it was going to be hard for her and Dad to let me go to start a life of my own. I knew it must be a difficult thing for my parents, to have only seven years to raise me; seven years wasn't long for a human, let alone a vampire. Time sped by at a much faster rate for our kind. It must seem to them that they hadn't gotten nearly enough time with me. But it wasn't like I was going anywhere. I still planned to live at home for a while and enjoy a long engagement to Jake.

Then, on Saturday, Sam had returned to La Push. He'd come back at dawn, heading immediately for Emily's house. Leah was already up, tending to the babies. Sue was there with her, and neither had acted like anything was amiss when Sam walked through the door. They'd acted as if he'd never left. No one questioned him or berated him for his absence. Leah had simply handed one of the babies to him, telling Sam that the little one needed to be fed. He'd been dazed for a moment or two, then had sat on the couch with the baby and fed him like a pro. He'd tried several times to apologize to Leah, but she'd cut him off every time. She'd told him that he didn't need to explain anything to her. His grief was private, and sometimes, she'd said, a person needed to be alone so they could own that grief and begin to release it. They'd sat down and had a long conversation, and finally reached an agreement: Leah would continue to live at Emily's house for as long as was necessary, staying in Emily's old room. Sam would remain there also, and sleep on the couch. They would raise Sam and Emily's children together, so they would know a mother's love as well as their father's love. Sam had shared all of this with Jacob when they'd gone hunting together late Saturday night. I was proud of Jake. I thought that he'd acted very admirably, never giving Sam a hard time, and allowing Sam to share a little of what he'd been through in the months he'd been gone. It couldn't have been easy for Jake to experience even a small portion of Sam's unimaginable anguish. Jake told me that Sam had been punished enough. He looked horrible, haggard, as if he'd aged ten years. He would carry the pain of Emily's death for the rest of his life. He would have to begin the process of learning how to live with that pain. Despite the tragic loss we'd all suffered, I was happy for the babies, happy that they had their father back in their lives and that they had such a loving, amazing woman like Leah to help raise them. She had become a completely different person when she'd accepted the gift Emily had bestowed on her, the gift of motherhood, something she'd never have had the chance to experience otherwise. She was at peace with herself now, and was sure of her course for the first time in her life.

I watched Jake, Seth, and Embry head down the aisle toward the back of the section where my classmates and I were seated. I turned to face Wren, who'd been chattering away the whole time I'd been lost in my own thoughts, and half smiled as Jake breezed casually past our seats, whistling a happy tune. I automatically glanced down at my left hand. My ring finger felt so naked without my gorgeous ring. I couldn't wear it on this trip, but I planned to put it back on the minute we got home, and never take it off again.  
Several hours later, when we landed in Atlanta, I immediately spotted Alice in the terminal. She was hard to miss, her tiny frame encased in a chic, expensive cream-colored pantsuit, large black framed glassed perched on her elfin nose, a black scarf wrapped around her head. She was sitting in one of the red plastic chairs, reading a fashion magazine. As I walked past her, not looking at her directly, I whispered, "Hi Alice." She nodded almost imperceptibly, flipping the aromatic pages lackadaisically. I headed straight for the bathroom, as my mother and I had previously arranged. She'd be waiting in the second stall for me. I tapped quickly on the door, and she let me in, embracing me and kissing my cheek. "Did you have a nice flight?" she whispered.  
"Yes," I whispered back. "It was ok. A little boring. I'll probably sleep all the way to Madrid."  
"Were you up late last night?" she questioned in an accusing tone.  
The door to the bathroom squeaked open as several girls from school hurried in, chatting and laughing. "Later Mom," I mouthed. I kissed her, whispered in her ear that I loved her, then turned to leave. She grabbed my arm and said, very softly, "I love you too sweetheart. I'll see you soon."

I went back out to the terminal, where the rest of the class was gathered in front of one of the many restaurants. We were going to eat lunch here before we boarded the next plane. I sat with Wren, Marian, and Abby at a small table, placing myself in a strategic position so I could see out into the terminal. We shared a pizza, and I took slow, deliberate bites. I watched Jasper saunter over to where Alice was still sitting. He casually slung an arm over the back of her seat, and swept the entire area with his penetrating gaze. His eyes met mine briefly, and I smiled. He turned his face away, but I could tell he was smiling too. Jake and Seth were across from the restaurant in a little gift shop, browsing the selection of refrigerator magnets and postcards. I had to fight to keep from laughing out loud. I was so giddy. This cloak and dagger stuff was kind of fun. I saw Dad stroll by the restaurant, hands in his pockets, huge sunglasses covering his face. He passed by two more times, and I figured that maybe he wanted to talk to me. I told the girls I needed to go to the bathroom again, and walked out into the terminal, heading in the same direction Dad had gone. We met in a deserted hallway in front of a bank of lockers. He hugged me briefly, then told me he loved me, and to be safe. I nodded, glanced around. Seeing no one, I gave him a peck on the cheek.

After we'd eaten, some of the kids wandered off to the magazine racks, some went to the bathroom, and some of us went into the gift shop. As I walked right past Jake, he reached out and quickly tugged my ponytail. I stifled a giggle and followed my friends to the book section. I saw my parents walk past the shop from the corner of my eye, heading off to connect with their flight to Philadelphia. A shiver passed through me inexplicably, and I wondered briefly what my problem was. I just need some sleep, I reasoned with myself. We'd be in Madrid by nightfall, and I couldn't wait to fall into my bed at the hotel and sleep like a stone.  
We boarded our next plane a few hours later. As I'd passed Alice and Jasper again, I'd pretended to rub my neck and waggled my fingers swiftly over my shoulder at them. We were out over the Atlantic ocean when one of the flight attendants started a movie. The movie was a dull comedy, one I'd seen before, and I quickly fell asleep. I awoke some time later, stiff and sore, when Wren nudged my arm. I pulled my headphones off.  
"What? I slurred. "Are we in Madrid yet?"  
"No, the stewardess just came by to let everyone know that the captain is about to make an announcement."  
I sat up straighter, trying to stretch my legs. I glanced out the window to see a thick, silver cloud bank right below us, illuminated by the moon. Night had fallen. The overhead speakers crackled as the captain began to address the plane.  
"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. This announcement is to inform you that we will be making an unscheduled stop in Pontevedra.  
We are experiencing a minor technical difficulty with our navigation equipment. Upon touchdown, I ask that you please remain seated. A technician will be boarding the plane to assist us in fixing the problem. I assure you that we will have it taken care of as quickly as possible, and will have you back in the air shortly. Thank you for your patience and understanding."  
I whipped my head around anxiously to find Jake. He met my eyes with a puzzled frown on his face. He shook his head a tiny bit and shrugged his shoulders. He pointed at his jacket pocket, where I knew he had stashed a cell phone. I nodded once in understanding: Jake was going to sneak and call Mom and Dad, to let them know we'd be late arriving in Madrid. I settled back into my seat and tried to make myself relax. Just a short detour on the way. No big deal.

When we landed, I asked one of the stewardesses if I could go to the bathroom. She said that would be fine, smiling sweetly at me. I rose and made my way to the back of the plane. Jake looked up questioningly at me as I walked past him, and I whispered, "Potty break," from the side of my mouth. I closed the door to one of the bathrooms, sliding the bolt into the slot. I splashed cold water on my face at the tiny sink, and studied myself in the water-spotted mirror. I looked horrible. There were dark circles under my eyes, and my hair was seriously messed up. As I was patting my face dry with one of the small hand towels, I heard a tinny noise. Snick. It was the sound of the bolt on the door sliding back. What the…  
"Um, hello, did you not see the-" I broke off and gasped as the door creaked open. A stunningly beautiful woman stood in the doorway, staring back at me in the reflection of the mirror. I spun around to face her. Her jet hair fell in glossy waves almost to the back of her knees, and her caramel colored skin shone with a subtle luminosity. A vaguely familiar, intoxicating scent drifted to my nostrils, paralyzing me with fear. My knees began to tremble. Her dark eyes flashed coldly. When she spoke, though her voice was soft and lilting, an icy stab of terror pierced me right through to my core.  
"Hello, Renesmee."


	19. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

Jacob  
A jarring impact startled me out of sleep. What ….? I blinked rapidly several times. Ugh. There was a sharp pounding at the base of my skull. Guess I'd fallen out of bed and hit my head on the floor. Must've been having a nightmare or something. Only, I had no memory of going home, of going to bed… huh. Weird. Maybe I'd worn myself out hunting with Sam last night, and just didn't remember stumbling back to Billy's. That had certainly happened to me before, a few other times when I'd been completely exhausted from lack of sleep. I reached a hand back to rub the tender spot. I tried to sit up, but found that I was already in a sitting position. Strange…my hardwood floor was definitely not this soft. I looked down at myself in confusion, slowly realizing that I wasn't in my room at Billy's. I was sitting in a dark blue upholstered chair, a seatbelt stretched across my lap. Where the hell was I? I glanced around groggily, my blurry vision slowly coming into focus. Instead of feeling heavy with recent sleep, my eyes felt gritty, like they'd been open for a while. I blinked again, and my eyes stung as hot moisture rolled down my cheeks. I looked to my left, seeing darkness and silver clouds outside a tiny window. To my right sat Embry, head lolling on his shoulder, snoring softly. What was he doing here? I slowly took in my surroundings. I was on an airplane full of strangers. Was I still asleep, still in the middle of my nightmare? I turned in my seat to see Seth directly behind me, fast asleep, head tilted back on a small white pillow. I concentrated on the faces of the other passengers more carefully, and found that they weren't total strangers. Most of them were Nessie's classmates from Forks High. I saw her friend Wren across the aisle and a few rows up, flipping through the pages of a magazine. Several rows up from her was that annoying little blond haired girl, sitting next to that jerk Kade, chatting at him a mile a minute. Ok, I was definitely still dreaming. What in the hell would I be doing on an airplane with a bunch of high school kids? My erratic sleep cycle must have finally caught up to me. I must be suffering from some deep-rooted fatigue. Satisfied with this conclusion, I chuckled quietly to myself and settled back in my seat, closing my eyes. I'd wake up for real from this strange, vivid dream soon enough, then I'd head to the cottage and go see Nessie. Nessie… I let my mind wander back to the night before last, when we'd been on the beach, and I had asked her to be my wife. When she'd said yes, it had been the happiest moment of my life. I knew we pretty much had eternity stretching out before us, but I just couldn't wait for us to start our life together. I relived the moment we'd kissed under the moon, the euphoria that had filled my entire body when I'd held her in my arms. Being with her was so perfect, so right. Her beautiful face lingered in my mind; her warm, chocolate brown eyes, her dazzling smile, her smooth, luminous skin….  
An unfamiliar voice abruptly cut through these images, dissolving them, and irritation filled me briefly until I grudgingly opened my eyes again. Hmm. Still on the plane. Still in the dream. We were steadily rolling along, bouncing slightly in our seats. We gradually slowed down, and eventually, we stopped. A few minutes later, most of the people rose from their seats and began collecting their carry on bags from the overhead bins. Embry stirred next to me, and yawned, stretching out as much as was possible in the cramped space. "Hey man," he slurred, blinking slowly up at me. "What are you doing here? Where's my mom?" He looked around, confusion evident in his voice, his face still puffy, his eyes still red from sleep. "Umm, Jake? Why are we on an airplane?"  
A bolt of icy adrenaline shot through my veins as I jerked upright in my seat. A sinking feeling began in the pit of my stomach. I wasn't dreaming. We were really here, on this plane, and God only knew where we were. I whipped my head around to meet Seth's dazed stare.  
"Seth?" I whispered. He shook his head slightly, as if he were trying to convince himself of his surroundings too. "I dunno, Jake. The captain just said something about enjoying our stay in Madrid?…." he mumbled.  
Madrid? What the hell were we doing in Madrid with Nessie's classmates? Where was Nessie, for that matter? I whipped my head around wildly, searching for her, but didn't see her anywhere. Maybe she was in the bathroom…  
I quickly rose from my seat, shoved past Embry, and darted toward the back of the plane in the direction of the restrooms. I saw that all the slots on the doors read 'unoccupied' , but I flung the doors open anyway, finding them all empty. A stewardess happened by and looked at me with slight alarm. I tried to smile reassuringly at her, but my face felt frozen. Something was wrong here, terribly wrong. I made my way back to Embry and Seth, pushing through the crowd of kids, and motioned for them to follow me. They rose from their seats instantly, falling in behind me. I took a deep breath as I approached Wren, who was standing on tiptoe to reach the compartment above her seat. The small, dark haired girl was Nessie's best friend in school. The seat next to her was empty, and I assumed that if Nessie was on this plane at all, she'd had to have been sitting there. I concentrated on filling my voice with a calm I didn't feel. I struggled to appear casual as I tapped her on the shoulder. She turned to me with a quizzical expression on her face.  
"Hi," I said, my voice a little shaky. "Excuse me, but may I ask what happened to your seatmate? The girl with the long curly hair and brown eyes?" I didn't want her to think I was some creepy stalker that had been leering at her friend, but I didn't know what else to do.  
She frowned slightly, looking at me as if I were crazy. Doubt filled her eyes, and she glanced nervously around, probably hoping to catch someone's eye, someone that could save her from the huge freak that stood inches from her.  
"I…I don't know who you're talking about," she mumbled. "I didn't have a seatmate. I've been sitting alone for the entire flight."  
She looked a little muddled, and I was growing more panicky by the second. None of this was making any sense to me. There was no way I'd travel to Madrid with a plane full of Nessie's friends without Nessie herself. To hell with it, I thought. I decided to take a chance.  
I hunkered over her and gripped the tops of her shoulders, a little too roughly perhaps. Her eyes widened with fear.  
"Her name is Nessie. Nessie Wolfe," I said, staring at her intently. "She's about 5'7", she has long, bronze colored curly hair and big brown eyes. I know you know who she is."  
"Y..yes, I know h..her," she stammered in a small voice. "She's my best friend. But she didn't come on this trip with us. Her adoptive parents wouldn't allow her to come."  
I immediately released my grip on her and turned to Embry and Seth. I gestured to them wildly, indicating that they should split up and search the rest of the plane. I fought to control the panic that was threatening to paralyze me. As we raced up and down the aisles, a few more flight attendants appeared from the front of the plane, having been alerted to the three maniacs that were wreaking havoc on their plane. One of them grabbed my arm and with a stern look on his face said, "Sir, if there is a problem I can help you with-"  
I just shook my head at him and jerked away from his grasp. I saw Seth and Embry heading toward me, and I gave them a questioning look. They both shook their heads. They hadn't found her either.  
"I don't know what the hell is going on here, but I'm going to find out. Come on, let's get off this plane. I'm going to call Bella and Edward." A niggling fear was forming in the back of my mind, a tinny voice screaming at me that I needed to hurry, that I needed to get to the bottom of this insane situation. My body trembled with heat, and I fought to contain myself. Maybe I was overreacting. Maybe Nessie was already here with Bella and Edward…but that didn't make sense. Why would she and I need to take different planes? Why would we even come here in the first place? Embry, Seth, and I flew past the startled flight attendants, out the open door of the plane, and down the steep steps onto the runway. I immediately spotted Bella and Edward standing in the shadows of the terminal, anxious expressions on their faces. My slight hope evaporated and my heart sank as I realized Nessie wasn't with them. Where was she? Please don't let this be happening, I silently prayed. My heart felt like a boulder in my chest as we continued to run toward Bella and Edward. We reached them in seconds. Bella's eyes were huge with fear as she noted the looks on our faces, noted that we'd run to them in an obvious panic.  
"Jacob, where is Renesmee?" Edward hissed under his breath, grabbing my arm and pulling me deeper into the black shadows, with Embry and Seth close behind. "I didn't hear her on the plane."  
Bella frantically clutched my other arm. "Jacob? Where's Nessie, Jacob?" She nearly shrieked.  
"I don't know." My voice quavered, and I continued to tremble violently. "I thought maybe she'd be with you." Fear pervaded every cell in my body. My brain was stuck on one thought, playing over and over like a broken record: Nessie isn't here. Nessie isn't here. Nessie isn't here….  
"How could she possibly be with us, Jacob? She was on that plane with you," Edward said through his teeth, his low voice menacing. He looked like he was ready to tear my head off as he peered at me intently. "Your mind is extremely clouded. I don't understand why I can't see…" he trailed off, narrowing his eyes at me in concentration. This whole situation was getting stranger by the minute. Why couldn't I remember the flight to Madrid? Why couldn't I remember even boarding the plane? And, most importantly, why couldn't I recall Nessie being with me? Edward and Bella had said she'd been on the same flight with me. Stranger still, why was Edward finding it so hard to read my thoughts? I struggled to clear my head, hoping that maybe it would help Edward. He shook his head slightly. Apparently, my effort hadn't done any good. "I can't see anything Jacob. It's like an impenetrable black fog has covered your mind." He turned to stare intently at Embry and Seth, but shook his head again in defeat.  
"Edward, what's going on? How could Nessie have just disappeared in midair? Alice said she boarded the plane in Atlanta with no problems," Bella whispered fiercely. She grabbed the front of Edward's shirt frantically, in danger of ripping it to shreds. "She and Jasper watched it take off before they caught their next flight. How could she…" A glazed look came into her eyes as she focused on something none of the rest of us could see. She snapped back to herself and said, "Wait a minute. Your flight was delayed for a couple of hours, Jacob. We didn't think anything of it because Alice had told us that she'd seen Edward and me here, waiting for you, that we didn't look worried or afraid. But what if…" she paused for a moment, looking down at the ground, still holding on to Edward. "What if something happened to alter that future? Alice wouldn't have been able to see…" she whispered, a sob in her voice.  
"Bella, please forgive me," I moaned. This was all my fault. How could I have let anything happen to Nessie? If someone had taken her, if they hurt her…but HOW could she have been taken on an airplane, from right under my nose? I fought to contain the building frustration and rage, before it burst out of me in violent screams. I began pacing in a small, tight arc, head in my hands. I wanted to rip my hair out of my skull. "I don't know what happened! I don't remember anything! We have to find her, we have to go now, we can't waste any time-" Edward cut me off and forced me to stop pacing by putting a stone-cold, heavy hand on my shoulder.  
"Jacob, Bella, we need to get to the hotel as quickly as possible so we can think about this.  
I-" he stopped speaking abruptly, clutching and ripping at his own hair with his free hand, gripping my shoulder tighter with brute strength, a hauntingly familiar expression on his face. I'd seen that look before, years ago when he'd thought he was going to lose Bella, when she'd been pregnant with Renesmee…the burning man was back. He shook himself, grabbed Bella's hand, and whipped out his cell phone, rapidly dialing as they darted through the shadows toward the nearby hotel. Embry, Seth and I were right behind them. None of us were particularly concerned about being seen by the mass of people exiting the plane or surging through the terminal. The night had darkened considerably, the thick bank of clouds obscuring the full moon. We stayed close to the airport structure, hugging the walls, remaining in the shadows as we raced toward our destination. I barely paid attention to where I was going, letting my body go on autopilot. All I could see in front of me was Nessie's sweet, beautiful face, smiling at me, then slowly contorting in fear and pain as some unknown entity did unspeakable things to her. NO! my mind screamed at me. I wasn't going to let anyone hurt her, ever. I'd die before I let that happen. 


	20. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19 **

Edward furiously paced the length of the small sitting room of the hotel suite he'd reserved next to the airport. I'd filled him in on everything that had happened from the time I'd woken up until we'd gotten off the plane. It wasn't much. My mind was fogged over and I couldn't recall anything from before I'd been jarred awake. Neither could Seth or Embry. I slumped down on the couch, head in my hands, between the two of them. Bella stood by the windows, still as a statue, occasionally lifting back the edge of the heavy drapes to peer out into the darkness.  
"Edward, what did Carlisle say?" Her voice was barely audible when she spoke. Her face was filled with fear and grief, and there was a haunted look in her eyes.  
"He and the others are on their way. They're flying in to New York, and then straight to Madrid," Edward responded in a tight voice. "Tanya and her family are coming as well, along with Siobhan and her coven. They're going to try to reach as many of the others as possible." He walked over and gripped the tops of Bella's arms. "Carlisle and I can see no other possibility than that Nessie has been taken by the Volturi."  
My head snapped up at his words, and I stared at the two of them with complete horror. I wasn't really surprised at this conclusion, but hearing my darkest fears spoken aloud filled my heart with a cold dread.  
Bella nodded her head as if she'd expected to hear this, as if she'd known it all along. "Yes, it's the only thing that makes sense," she whispered. Edward drew her into his arms, and they embraced for a while, not speaking. Bella's body shook with tearless sobs. Edward patted her back soothingly, staring over her shoulder with glazed eyes. After a few minutes, he stepped away from her to resume his pacing. He pulled out his cell phone again to call the airport and book a flight to Italy. "Jacob," he said, turning to me when he'd hung up the phone, "I need you to think very hard about your flight to Madrid. Concentrate on the last thing you remember before you fell asleep. We need as much information as possible so we can plan on how to proceed when the others arrive." His phone began to buzz just then, and he spoke to the caller in a low, quick voice. I couldn't make out anything he said, I only saw him nod grimly to himself a few times. While he was talking and pacing, I tried to do what he'd said, but it seemed like the harder I tried to concentrate, the blurrier my mind became. The only clear thing I could see was Nessie's face, her beautiful eyes filled with fear, silently begging me to find her, to save her. I rocked back and forth on the couch, and pounded the sides of my head with my fists in frustration. I felt like I was losing my mind. I just had to find her, just had to….  
Bella came to stand beside me, placing her cold hand on my shoulder in a soothing gesture. She didn't say anything. She didn't need to. Our agony was a shared thing, an almost palpable entity that threatened to drown us both.  
When I knew I couldn't bear the torture any longer, I stood up from the couch and made my way to the door.  
"If we're sure the Volturi has her, then we need to go there NOW, and get her back," I said, but before I'd made it halfway across the room, Edward was right in front of me, blocking my path.  
"Jacob, be reasonable. I would love nothing more at this moment than to leave immediately, to go to Volterra and enjoy the immense pleasure of ripping Aro's head from his body," he said through gritted teeth, fighting to control the rage that burned in his eyes. "But we can't. As torturous as it is for us to have to wait for the others to arrive, we must. We have no other choice. We cannot go before the Volturi and accuse them of taking Renesmee without either some sort of proof or solid backup. They would think nothing of slaughtering the five of us on sight, without any provocation. If that were to happen, what would become of Renesmee?"  
I growled in frustration, but I knew he was right. We couldn't face off with the Volturi right now, not with there being so few of us. But how was I supposed to sit here helpless for another entire day, waiting for the others to come? I couldn't. I'd go mad, go insane with images of Renesmee being tortured, being put through unimaginable suffering, searing my brain. The endless hours that lay before us seemed like an eternity. I walked slowly back to the couch and flopped down, my body sagging in defeat.  
"You mustn't think that way, Jacob," Edward said in a gentler tone. His rage and fear were still there, lingering just beneath the surface of his voice. I knew it was taking a gargantuan effort on his part to keep it together. "Carlisle believes that the Volturi will not harm Nessie. Jasper thinks her kidnapping was just a strategic move on their part to lure us to Volterra, so they can finish what they started in the clearing all those years ago."  
"But Edward, even if that were so, what's to stop them from….doing something to her?" Bella whispered, nervously twisting her hands together and biting her lip.  
I nodded my head in agreement. "They could have already…," I choked on the lump that was forming in my throat.  
I was going to say, "already killed her", but I couldn't force the air from my lungs, couldn't make my lips form the words.  
"No, no, I don't believe that," Edward said quietly, more to himself than to us. "They're going to be very careful with this plan of theirs; they have to leave us with some small measure of hope so  
we'll be sure to come looking for her. I think that Aro's gift to Nessie last year, the note he sent, and the few hints we picked up that we were being spied on were all clues  
to lead us to him. If we had even the slightest inkling that they'd harmed her…" he trailed off, his feeble attempt to convince himself of Nessie's safety dying before it had barely been conceived. He knew as well as the rest of us that there was absolutely nothing stopping the Volturi from destroying Nessie. As a matter of fact, if we learned that they had done such a heinous thing to her, we'd be more likely to storm the city of Volterra in a rage, thus giving them all the excuse they would need to annihilate us. Self defense. I snorted in disgust.  
That was their true plan, I was sure of it. They wanted revenge for having been stymied in their attempt to take out the Cullen family during the confrontation almost seven years ago. The horrible images of Irina's violent end flashed through my mind. Caius had had her killed, even though she'd done nothing to deserve that fate, simply to provoke a battle. They had used Nessie as an excuse back then, and they were using her now for the same purpose. What was there to stop them from destroying her, to kill her like they had killed Irina, to provoke us now?  
Edward stared at me with an incomprehensible look on his face as these thoughts passed through my mind. As our eyes met, his coal black ones wildly boring into mine, I was certain that he'd been thinking the same things. He shook himself, then continued pacing.  
"That was Alice on the phone a moment ago. I'd asked her to look for any signs that the Volturi was up to something, for any commands or decisions on their part that might possibly concern us. She told me that she hasn't seen much so far, only Aro and Caius speaking briefly of our family, but nothing in great detail. There were two blind spots in the room with them," he informed us, glancing swiftly in Bella's direction.  
A small glint of hope lit up her eyes as she rushed to Edward's side. "Could one of them have been Nessie?" she asked anxiously.  
"We have no way of knowing that, love," Edward said gently, drawing her into his arms.  
"I'd like to hope that one of them is her."  
He turned back to me, imploring me once more to try to remember the plane trip. I didn't know what good it would do, but I tried anyway. I bowed my head and closed my eyes.  
The last thing I remembered clearly was hunting with Sam on Saturday night. When I'd woken up on the plane, I'd thought that it was Sunday morning, but Edward had told me that it was now past midnight on Monday night, or rather, Tuesday morning. Try as I might, I couldn't bring back any memories of traveling to Madrid. The last two days of my life were just…gone.  
Bella came to sit beside me on the couch, squeezing herself in between Seth and me. "Jacob, do you remember how I said that your flight had been delayed a few hours? You didn't arrive here when you were supposed to have. Your plane had to have made an unscheduled stop somewhere-"  
Before she could finish the rest of her sentence, I jolted up from my slouched position. The words "unscheduled stop" resonated in my mind, echoing back to me, but not in Bella's voice. It was a man's voice that said the words in my mind, an unfamiliar one, but one that I thought I'd heard before. "Pontevedra!" I shouted, grabbing Bella's arms excitedly. "The captain said something about making an unscheduled stop in Pontevedra."  
"Yes!" Seth exclaimed, jumping up from the couch. "I remember now. He said we'd need to stop there for a short layover, something about a malfunction…?"  
Embry nodded his head vigorously. "Yeah, something about the navigation equipment. A couple of technicians were supposed to board the plane to fix it."  
Edward whipped out his phone again, dialing so rapidly that his fingers were a white, ghostly blur. He spoke to someone in a low, lulling tone. When he hung up, there was a look of triumph on his face. "One of the airport employees told me that when the plane landed in Pontevedra, two women in dark blue uniforms boarded the plane. She said she'd never forget what they looked like because they were both unbelievably beautiful. She described them as having dark skin with long black hair. She said that she was surprised when they checked in at the desk with her, because they looked more like exotic runway models than technicians." He chuckled without humor. His description of the two women roused a memory of them from the depths of my mind, the moment I'd noticed them heading down the aisle of the plane in my general direction. I'd thought it odd that they'd be going toward the back of the craft, wondering why they hadn't stayed at the front in the cockpit.  
One of the women had approached me without hesitation, had stood before me and stared at me with her piercing gaze. I shuddered as I remembered the details of her lovely face, her cold beauty, her cruel smirk. I relayed this memory to Edward and Bella, as well as the fact that she was the last thing I saw before we'd landed in Madrid. I wondered…could she have done something to me to make me forget everything? Surely they'd been the ones to take Nessie, most likely when she'd gone to the bathroom. Bella was lost in her own thoughts for the moment, but it seemed like she was reading my mind and was on the same path my thoughts had taken me, as it so often was between us.  
"Edward, those two women had to be the ones who took Nessie. From Jake's description, it sounds like they're half vampires. That would explain why Alice wasn't able to see this. As for Jake's, as well as everyone else's, clouded mind, is it possible that one of them could have some sort of mind control power, some gift of erasing memories?"  
Edward rubbed his chin pensively. "It's possible, though I've never heard of such a gift in all my years. It would certainly explain how they were able to get Nessie off the plane without anyone stopping them. It would have to be a gift that interferes with short term memory, without lasting effects, as Jacob is starting to recall what happened."  
"Who could those women be, Edward? Do you think they've joined the Volturi?" Bella inquired.  
"I'm not sure, but that's what is sounds like. Aro knows that Alice is unable to see the futures of half vampires, so it would be plausible for him to send them to do his bidding without fear of being detected. If he'd sent a full vampire from his guard, Alice would have picked up on that. Yes, I'm almost certain that was Aro's plan."  
As Edward and Bella discussed the possibilities of this as of yet unknown ability, I held the face of the half vampire woman in my mind, committing it to memory. She had helped Aro take Nessie away from me. Flames of fury shot through my body, and the face in my mind took on crimson hues as my vision went red.  
With every fiber of my being, I swore to myself that she would be one of the first ones to pay. She would pay dearly for her grave mistake.


	21. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Bella  
The need for stealth was lost on me. I was sure that Aro and his coven would know of our presence even before we entered the walls of Volterra. It wouldn't surprise me if they already knew of our arrival from the moment we'd landed at the airport in Rome a few hours ago. Yet Edward and Jasper had insisted that a sneak attack would be better than an all out blitz on the Volturi, what with our group being slightly diminished from what it had been when we'd faced off with them six and a half years ago. Carlisle had been unable to contact everyone he'd wanted to, only managing to get in touch with the Denalis, the Irish coven, Benjamin and Tia from the Egyptian coven, the Amazons, and a few nomads. I was beyond caring about the method we used to enter the city. I just wanted my daughter back. My beautiful, precious baby girl. Her face was all I could see, she was all I could think about. As we flew through the darkness toward our destination, I grew more and more frantic to have her in my arms again. If I were capable of tears, I knew I would be dehydrated and spent from weeping my heart out by now. We stopped a few miles outside the main gates of the ancient city, on the windswept slopes of the hillside which Volterra sat atop. The night was inky black, with thick, charcoal clouds scuttling across the sky, obliterating any light the weak moon was able to produce. Aside from the shrieking wind, all was silent. We communicated with body language as much as possible, but it soon became necessary to speak in hushed tones.  
"Jacob, I think you should stay here with your pack, while the rest of us go into the city," Edward murmured, his eyes alight with an emotion I could not name. I had already known that he was going to spring this strategy on Jacob before we'd left the airport, but I still dreaded his reaction. I knew he would protest vehemently, and I couldn't say I blamed him. Nothing in the world was going to stop me from confronting Aro, from doing everything in my power to get my daughter back. I was more than ready to kill for her, and to lay down my life if necessary. My fear and grief had slowly turned into a violent rage that I was finding harder and harder to control. As if in response to my own emotional state, as well as Edward's suggestion, I could feel the heat of Jacob's fury emanating in waves from his trembling frame.  
"No! No way, Edward! I have just as much right to go in there as you and Bella. I know you're Nessie's parents, but I have just as much at stake as the two of you," he hissed furiously, his black eyes blazing in defiance.  
"Jacob, listen to me, please. Jasper believes we should split into two groups. It would be foolish to send our whole group inside, like sending sheep to the slaughter. We could very well be heading straight for imminent death. Suppose Renesmee isn't even here in the city? Suppose they have imprisoned her in another place? If we all die tonight, there won't be anyone left to search for her. Think about it. Someone has to remain at a safe distance, to be prepared to flee at a moment's notice. Someone has to survive this night in order to rescue Renesmee," Edward argued in his most persuasive tone. I could see the internal battle Jacob fought with himself, almost as if his eyes were windows into his soul. His rage and anguish were most dominant in his expression, and then, finally, reluctant resignation took over as his shoulders slumped and he bowed his head. He knew Edward was right. And Jasper was a military expert, so who of us could doubt any strategy he proposed? Jacob nodded curtly, his mouth set in a grim line. After a short deliberation, he raised his head to address Edward. "How are the two groups supposed to communicate with each other?" he inquired, his voice husky with barely controlled anger.  
"You can choose one of the wolves to accompany us. Whoever you choose to go with us can phase in an instant and relay to you what we find out, and….whatever else might happen," Edward responded quietly. He lifted a hand as if to lay it on Jacob's shoulder in comfort, then lowered it again as he thought better of it. It would be a monumental thing for Jacob to have to choose someone from his or Sam's pack to face the Volturi, to possibly send one of his brothers to their death. How could one go about making such a decision? All of the Quileute wolves had journeyed to Italy, save Quil, who had remained in La Push to watch over Leah and the babies. I was infuriated that the wolves were once again putting themselves in this predicament, facing possible annihilation and near extinction.  
"I'll go, Jake," Seth volunteered, stepping forward to stand next to Jacob. Seth was so brave, and had such a pure and loving heart that I was not surprised in the least at his offer.  
"No," Jacob growled under his breath. "You're too young. You're not ready for something like this."  
Before Seth could protest, Sam came to stand at Jacob's other side. "Jacob's right, Seth. I'll go in. I'm more of an experienced fighter, and…" he hesitated, bowing his head, "..and I don't have much left to live for anymore," he finished in a whisper.  
"What are you talking about man?" Jacob demanded, his voice rising in anger. "You have three children at home that are depending on you. You can't let anything happen to yourself. Your kids need you. Leah needs you."  
Sam's head snapped up, a look of bewilderment on his face. "I know that Jake, I didn't…didn't mean…."  
It was Embry that made the final decision, his tone brooking no argument. "I'll go. All the rest of you have way more to lose than I do. And Jacob, you're my brother, my biological brother as well as my pack brother. It's only right that I should go." He crossed his arms over his chest and glared at everyone, as if daring someone to dispute his choice.  
Jacob merely nodded his head in defeat. I knew that he didn't want to send any of the wolves in there without him. I could only imagine the turmoil he must be feeling as an Alpha; an Alpha whose many responsibilities included doing what was best for his pack, and putting himself between them and whatever danger might come their way. I also knew that my daughter was his number one priority in life, and he would do whatever he had to do in order to secure her protection and safety. It had to be indescribably painful to be pulled in two different directions. I reached out and grasped Jacob's hand. He didn't flinch away from my icy skin. Instead, he gripped my hand tightly in response. We looked into each others' eyes, sharing our pain with one another.  
"We're going to get her back, Jake," I promised, fierce determination in my voice. I only hoped my tone conveyed more confidence than I felt. I was ready to take on the entire Volturi guard by myself if need be, but there would be no guarantees as to my daughter's safe return. Carlisle was not as hesitant as Edward in comforting Jacob. He lay a hand on Jacob's forearm reassuringly. "I do not believe that Aro will harm Nessie in any way," he said, a profound calm and deep assurance on his face. "I'm sure we will be able to resolve this situation much as we did before. Aro is not an unreasonable man. We will find a way through this, Jacob."  
I never understood how Carlisle could be so optimistic in even the most dire circumstances. I had no faith that Aro could be talked out of his most recent plan to destroy our family. There were talents my family had that he wanted too badly. I was sure this confrontation would end in violence, but that in no way meant that I was willing to give in. I would fight to the death for my daughter.

Carlisle conferred with Siobhan briefly before we headed into the city. He was encouraging her to concentrate on a positive conclusion to this battle, to use her strange gift of manipulating situations in to whatever outcome she wished. She nodded her head grimly. Zafrina moved to stand in front of the wolves. She had agreed to stay with them and protect them with her ability to blind or confuse anyone whom Aro might send out to attack them. The rest of us began to move into a formation that Jasper had pre-arranged with Edward, Emmett, Eleazar, and Garrett at the forefront. I gave Jake a quick hug before I fell in beside Rosalie, Tanya, Kate, and Carmen. Esme and Carlisle would stay on the outer edges of our loose circle, and the members of the other covens, along with the nomads, would bring up the rear.  
Jasper and Alice had decided to remain outside with the packs as well. Alice felt extremely guilty about not standing by her family, but I had assured her that I understood, taking her into my arms and hugging her tightly. Aro desperately wanted to make her a part of his coven, and we couldn't risk allowing her to go inside with us. Jasper steadfastly remained at her side, refusing to be apart from her. As much as we might need Jasper's expert fighting skills, I felt no ill will toward the two of them. I knew how much they loved Nessie, but had our positions been reversed, I knew I would have made the same choice. Edward would never allow me to go before the Volturi without him, and I couldn't bear the thought of him standing before them without me at his side. I threw my shield out over our entire group as we moved as one through the blackness toward the rear of the city. Edward knew a way in through the walls that was carefully concealed, even in the daytime. We crept silently through the secret entrance, our sharp vampire senses alert to any odd sounds or movements in the darkness. There were none, which I found to be extremely odd. Surely Aro had members of his guard patrolling the city at regular intervals, at all hours of the day and night. There were no humans around at this late hour, and the city seemed to be deserted, lifeless. The utter silence was unnerving. I could smell faint traces of the Volturi guard, but none of the scents were fresh. It seemed to me that we should have run into one of them by now. Maybe I was wrong. Maybe they didn't know we were coming, and were treating this as just another ordinary night. But that didn't make sense. If they had Nessie, and I was absolutely positive that they did, they would surely know that we would come here looking for her sooner or later. We arrived at the main entrance of the medieval castle in which the Volturi resided. The humans that lived in Volterra believed this to be a normal office building. The Volturi kept up that façade for appearances. Edward reached for the handle of the glass doors, only to find them locked. This certainly wasn't surprising, but the whole situation felt wrong to me. Why hadn't we seen even one member of the guard yet? A feeling of dread began in the pit of my stomach. "We could be walking into a trap, Edward," I whispered furtively. He glanced toward me, nodding his head briefly, but quickly looked away. I knew what he was thinking. What choice did we have but to go inside? There were no other alternatives available to us. Our daughter's life was at stake.  
Rose stepped forward then, and with a few quick movements of her sharp nails, had the lock sprung. Edward eased the doors open and we all glided silently into the luxuriantly decorated lobby. The massive fountain in the center of the room was turned off at this hour, and only a few dim yellow lights above various doorways cast shadows on the walls and the reception desk, which spanned almost the entire length of the room. A human security guard was snoring away in one corner, slumped over in his metal chair, head resting on one shoulder, mouth hanging open. A magazine lay open in his lap, barely held there by his splayed hands. We moved past him toward the bank of elevators, our feet sliding noiselessly over the smooth, marble floors. I hoped for the human's sake that he didn't wake up any time soon. What a rude awakening it would be to see a throng of angry, determined vampires intent on entering this opulent building, come hell or high water. I chuckled humorlessly to myself. Edward looked at me questioningly, but I just shook my head and indicated that we should hurry. We turned left at the elevators, opting to take the stairs. It would be much faster for us. We raced up the three flights, arriving at the double doors that led into the waiting area outside the Volturi's lair in under a second. Our group paused briefly to collect itself, then Edward threw the doors open. The heavy oak doors crashed against the walls, causing plaster dust to fly. We were inside the room in a flash before the doors could rebound and slam closed again. The human woman behind the polished mahogany reception desk looked up in surprise at our noisy entrance, her hands automatically flying to her throat. A vague sense of déjà vu filled my mind at seeing this place again. The room was exactly the same as it had been the last time I'd been here as a human. The same deep green carpet covered the floors, the same pale leather couches were situated around the room, and the same paintings of the Tuscan countryside decorated the walls. A brief shudder passed through my body as I remembered the terror I'd felt, being led here by Demetri, Felix, and Jane. I'd been sure I wouldn't make it out of here alive, just as I was sure I wouldn't tonight.  
"Oh!" the receptionist exclaimed. She was barely taller than Alice, with long, straight brown hair, brown eyes, and nondescript features. She struggled to collect herself, but fear was evident in her voice. "Hello…may I help you?" she inquired in a shaky tone. For a split second, I wondered what had happened to Gianna, the coldly efficient secretary that had been here before. I didn't spare much deliberation on the subject; it wasn't very hard to guess what had become of her. We barely spared the harried receptionist a glance as we immediately made for the doors that led to the hallway behind her desk.  
"Wait!" she shouted. "You can't just-"  
My furious glare cut off her words, and she shrank back against her desk as far as she could manage. We burst through the doors and abruptly came face to face with Demetri and Felix. There was a look of mild surprise on Demetri's face as he took in the sight of us, but Felix wore a gleeful, menacing expression. He rubbed his hands together in anticipation. Like Emmett, he was always ready to battle. Emmett grinned back at him, equally eager to get on with the fight.  
"Why Edward, Carlisle, this is certainly-" Demetri began, but was interrupted by Edward, as he growled, "Step aside, Demetri. We've come to speak to Aro."  
"I'm sorry Edward, but Aro is not available to speak with you at the moment. Perhaps you could be so kind as to come back tomorrow, and give my master some time to prepare for your…unexpected visit," Demetri intoned in a steely voice.  
Edward glared at him, the fury on his face intimidating even me. "We're not going anywhere Demetri. We came to see Aro, and we're not leaving until we do. If you want us to leave, you're going to have to _make _us leave." He crossed his arms over his chest and planted himself firmly, legs slightly spread apart. Demetri deliberated for a moment, then nodded as he finally gave in. Felix looked extremely disappointed. He reluctantly fell in behind Demetri as they led us down the hall toward the hidden door in the paneling. Demetri slid the secret door aside, and waved us ahead of him into the cavernous stone room. I didn't feel comfortable having Felix and Demetri at our backs, so I paused as Edward and the other men that had been in the front of our group entered the antechamber. I indicated to Felix and Demetri that they should go ahead of the rest of us. Felix smirked at me, and turned his back confidently to enter the room. When we were all inside, I noted that the entire guard was there, gathered in small groups around the room, talking quietly among themselves. Upon seeing our group, they immediately moved to the center of the room, forming a line in front of the three ancient vampires seated in their thrones against the far wall. Aro rose and drifted through the center of the line, surrounded by his usual entourage of bodyguards, pure delight in his expression. Seeing his face ignited the fury within me, and a low growl escaped me before I could stop it. Rose put a restraining hand on my arm, keeping her eyes trained forward.

Aro acted as if he hadn't heard me. He continued to float gracefully toward us, smiling at the rest of his coven reassuringly. "Carlisle, my dear friend!" he exclaimed. "What a pleasant surprise! It is wonderful to see you again, as well as your family and friends. To what do I owe this honor?" He inquired politely. I snorted in disgust. He knew damn well why we were here. I was so sick of his charades.  
"You can stop with all the pretenses, Aro," Edward said through his clenched teeth. "You know exactly why we're here."  
Carlisle placed a hand on Edward's shoulder.  
"Stay calm, son," he murmured.  
Aro paused in the middle of the room and clasped his hands together. "My dear Edward, I am truly at a loss. I have no idea what you are talking about. From your harsh words and tone, I take it this is not simply a social call?" Aro's face was filled with bewilderment, and what appeared to be innocent confusion. In that moment, I wanted nothing more than to tear him to shreds, to hear his screams of agony.  
"No, it's not," Edward replied in an icy voice, his body trembling in a visible struggle to keep his composure.  
"Ah, what a pity. I do so enjoy visiting with my friends. It has been a while since we last saw one another. Tell me, how is your lovely daughter?" Aro looked over our group, searching for Nessie, puzzlement crossing his features when he didn't see her. "Did she not accompany you on your journey?"  
A violent shriek of rage exploded from my chest, and it took Rose, Kate, and Tanya to hold me back from launching myself directly at Aro's throat. Edward took a couple of steps back without turning around, and stood in front of me in a protective stance. Several members of the guard bridled at my reaction, but Aro waved them off dismissively.  
"Bella, I do not understand your anger toward me. Has some tragedy befallen your family that I do not know about? Perhaps something concerning your daughter?" Aro said, his tone dripping with false concern. "Yes, I'd imagine something of that nature would garner such a reaction, would invoke such rage."  
Before I could speak, Carlisle stepped forward, his hands held out in supplication. "Aro, we have not come here to challenge you. We simply want to know what happened to Renesmee. She disappeared from Spain two days ago. We think you know where she is."  
"Why, my dear Carlisle, you cannot possibly think that I took her…? Why would I want to do such a heinous thing?" Aro's voice was now filled with shock at Carlisle's accusation.  
"You tell us, Aro," Garrett demanded, moving from Kate's side to stand beside Carlisle.  
"Ah, friend Garrett, how good to see you again. It has been a while since I've enjoyed the pleasure of your company. I can assure you all, I do not know the whereabouts of the precious child. I have not seen her since our…er, unfortunate last meeting. It pains me deeply that you would think so harshly of me." Aro bowed his head briefly as if he were truly saddened.  
"Renesmee was taken by two half vampire women," Edward informed him. "Alice saw two blind spots here in Volterra with you and your coven. We know you were the ones behind her disappearance!"  
Understanding washed over Aro's features as he looked up at Edward. "Yes, I can see why you would come to that conclusion. I actually do have two new members in my family, two half vampire females that we…acquired some years ago. Demetri, would you be so kind as to fetch your lovely daughters, so that I might introduce them to our friends?" _  
Daughters_? I thought wildly to myself. Demetri had fathered two children with a human? I supposed it wasn't such a crazy idea when I stopped to think about it. Aro had been intrigued with Renesmee's origins, and had surely wanted to have some half vampires created in order to study them. Carlisle had once told me that Aro had done something similar before, had created two immortal children for the express purpose of experimenting with them, to see if he could somehow tame them. He had failed in his attempt, and had ultimately destroyed the young ones. I shuddered to think that Demetri's daughters would someday share the same fate. Edward nodded briefly in response to my thoughts. I had cast my shield out from my mind in order to share my thoughts with him. He whispered over his shoulder to me that Aro was planning on destroying the half vampires if they didn't soon show signs of having any special talents. A small flame of fury sparked in the center of my mind. He was such a monster. I didn't understand how the members of his guard could be so blind, that they couldn't see that they were just being used. If any of them ever failed Aro in any way, he would surely have them obliterated in a heartbeat.  
Demetri returned in less than a minute, with two beautiful young girls in tow. One of them was about my height, with straight, shiny blonde hair that fell to the middle of her back. She had jade green eyes and skin the color of cream. The other one was slightly taller, with thick, wavy chestnut hair that reached down to her waist, and skin that was a shade or two darker than her sister's. She glanced nervously at our group with her blue-gray eyes as they passed us, placing a protective hand on her sister's shoulder. I felt a surge of pity for them. They couldn't help what they'd been born into, and probably had no idea of the depth of the Volturi's maliciousness.  
"Hello, my lovelies!" Aro exclaimed vibrantly as they came to a stop in front of him. They bowed their heads to him in a respectful manner. "Hello, master," they mumbled in unison.  
Their utter deference made me ill, knowing it was most likely being forced upon them without their knowledge.  
"Please, allow me to introduce the two newest members of my family. This is Amelia," he said, indicating the taller of the two young girls, "and this is her sister, Dulcea," he continued proudly, stroking the cheek of the smaller blonde girl. As they turned to face us, I studied them carefully. These were certainly not the same women who had taken Nessie. Jacob had described both of those women as having black hair and darker complexions. These girls looked to be no older than Nessie, in fact appearing a little younger than her, a little less mature. I gauged them both at approximately six years old, or about 16 or 17 in human years. _They obviously don't share the same mother_, I thought randomly. They didn't look enough alike. My heart sank. Aro was obviously playing games with us. I was convinced that these two were not the only half vampires he had added to his coven. He was keeping the two that had taken Nessie hidden from us, and using these two as a ploy to purport his innocence. I was sure of it. Only a fraction of a second had passed as these thoughts raced through my mind. I was distracted out of my reverie by Edward's sharp intake of breath. He was looking to his left, past Carlisle and over to where Embry stood on the fringes of our group. Embry was staring directly at Dulcea, the petite blonde girl. I instantly recognized the look on his face. He gazed at her as if she were the only person in the room, his face filled with wonderment, with pure awe. His body trembled slightly, not in the normal way the Quileutes did when they were about to phase, but with some indescribable emotion. He was staring at her as if she were the most beautiful creation he had ever seen, like a lost man who had finally found his way home. Dulcea caught his look, slight confusion on her face. Then she blushed deeply, and looked down at her feet. I returned my attention to the matter at hand. Embry's love life was going to have to take a back seat right now. Edward addressed Aro once more.  
"These are not the women who took Renesmee. Are these the only new members of your coven, Aro?" he queried, voicing my thoughts.  
"Yes, Edward, I can assure you of this. Demetri fathered these lovely young ladies some years ago, shortly after we departed from your homeland. We journeyed to South America, to speak with Joham, the vampire that was so fond of creating children with human women. I must admit, I was intrigued by our conversation. I simply had to satisfy my curiosity by availing myself of the opportunity to learn more about these fascinating creatures. Demetri, fortunately, was more than willing to assist me in this matter. Hence, the acquisition of these dear ones into my family," Aro explained, confirming my suspicions.  
"May I ask what became of their mothers?" I blurted out.  
During this conversation, I had noticed the exchange that was going on between Embry and Dulcea from the corner of my eye. Embry continued to stare at her unabashedly, while she gave him quick, shy glances, her cheeks blooming roses. Aro had apparently noticed as well, keeping tabs on their reciprocity while he talked. Dulcea's head snapped up at my question. Her attention was now on the two of us as Aro spoke of her and her sister's mothers.  
"Alas, their mothers did not survive the birthing process. Gianna, one of my most capable human employees, was Amelia's mother. It was a devastating loss," he said somberly. Amelia looked as if she were about to cry. I shot him a look of disgust. He had the power to save Gianna, if that had been his wish. She had obviously meant little to him; she was only a pawn in his game, merely a variable in his sadistic experiment. I hadn't cared much for Gianna when I'd met her, but the thought of a human life, _any_ human life, being carelessly tossed away like garbage in exchange for personal gain infuriated me.  
"Brother, I'd like to confer with you for a moment, please," Aro requested, gesturing for Marcus to come to him, never taking his eyes from Embry. Marcus followed the line of Aro's gaze and linked hands with him briefly. "Hmm," Aro muttered. "Interesting. Very interesting indeed."  
I could only assume that Aro was inquiring about Embry's apparent fascination with Dulcea, and Marcus had conveyed to him the intrinsic points of the imprinting that had just taken place. Edward again confirmed my thoughts with a slight nod.

"Well!" Aro boomed, clapping his hands together and clasping them under his chin. "Now that you Cullens know that it was not I nor any of my dear ones that took your precious Renesmee, we must decide where to go from here."  
Edward growled low under his breath, and Emmett and Garrett moved to stand on either side of him. Carlisle kept his restraining hand on Edward's shoulder. There was a stirring of movement among the Volturi as well, as if by some silent signal they were readying themselves for a battle. Caius strode to the front of the line to address Aro, though he never took his eyes from our group.  
"I grow tired of this nonsense, brother," he rasped. He glared directly at me, and I hissed in response. "I suggest you tell your _friends_ to take their leave before our hand is forced," he sneered.  
A chorus of growls and hissing broke out from both groups instantaneously, echoing off the ancient stone walls, filling the room with a deafening roar. I noted Embry trying to inch forward toward Dulcea, but Demetri had quickly pushed his daughters behind the intimidating line of the guard and out of sight. Emmett restrained Embry with an arm across his chest, his massive biceps bulging. I looked up to see Jane eyeing me contemptuously, and I snapped my teeth at her. She hissed furiously and bent into a fighting crouch. I knew she was incensed by the fact that her power was useless as long as I was here, protecting myself as well as my family and friends with my shield. I grinned and beckoned her forward, slinking into my own crouch. She shrieked and made as if to lunge for me, but her twin Alec held her back. I wished fervently that I could have just two seconds alone with her…  
Aro seemed to be the only one in the room that kept his composure aside from Marcus, who wore his ever-present mask of boredom. A peal of laughter escaped Aro's lips. "Now now, everyone, let us compose ourselves. There will be no fighting here today. The Cullens have merely come before us to ask some questions, and we have answered them to the best of our ability. We must be as hospitable as possible to our friends in their time of need." The entire guard instantly stood at attention at his words, but I could tell that some of them definitely were not happy about it, Jane and Felix in particular. Our group relaxed little by little, still on guard, but slowly coming out of our fighting stances, and quieting our growls and snarls.  
Aro paced the length of the room, chin in hand, seemingly deep in thought. "Who in the world could possibly want to take that precious child from her family and cause them such distress?" he said, almost to himself.  
As much as I hated to agree with anything that Caius said, I was growing tired of this nonsense too. Aro's innocent charade was starting to wear on me, and I grew more frustrated by the minute. While Aro paced, Edward turned slightly to the right, beckoning Maggie and Charles forward to join him at the front line. Siobhan reluctantly stepped aside so Maggie could get by. I knew she wasn't happy about letting her coven member get so close to the Volturi. Edward didn't need to say anything to either of them as they stopped at his side. They knew what he wanted from them, and what he wanted was the truth. Both of them had an uncanny ability to discern truth from lies. They had remained silent throughout the proceedings, measuring the words and actions of the Volturi carefully. Maggie met Edward's eyes and nodded slowly, her bright red curls bouncing on her head. "Aro is telling the truth, Edward," she said in her soft Irish accent.  
Edward looked to Charles. "I agree with her. Nothing Aro has said today has struck me as a lie," the nomad from England said. Edward nodded curtly, then turned to face me.  
"Bella, love, I don't know what to do. You heard what they said. They don't think that Aro is lying."  
"Then where is Nessie, Edward? Who has our daughter?" I whispered fretfully. Maggie's and Charles's testimony to Aro's sincerity floored me. I couldn't imagine anyone else in the world wanting to cause my family this much pain, couldn't imagine any other motives behind the kidnapping than to ultimately destroy our family, as the Volturi had tried to do in the past.  
I was so confused. This couldn't be happening! Someone somewhere had to know what had happened to my daughter. Would we have to search the entire planet to find her? The task seemed daunting, even for creatures such as we, who never grew tired, never needed to rest or sleep.  
Aro halted in his pacing and spoke to Carlisle. "I sympathize with your plight my friend, and am truly sorry that I could not be of more assistance. But perhaps…perhaps you would accept an offer from me, my dear friend, an offer of assistance from my beloved Demetri? As you know, he is quite a capable tracker, very skilled and most efficient. I beg of you to accept his help in finding your daughter, not only as a way to resolve the situation, but also as a sign of my goodwill."  
Carlisle looked to Edward questioningly, who in turn looked to me. It wasn't a half bad idea. If anyone in the world could find Nessie, it would be Demetri. I was wary about him traveling with us and helping us search for our daughter, but at this point, I was beyond the very limits of desperation. I had been so sure that the Volturi had taken her, and that we would do whatever was necessary to get her back. I wouldn't have thought in a million years that she was not really here, that Aro hadn't had anything to do with her disappearance. Most of all, I never would have believed that he would graciously offer his help in finding her after we'd stormed into his home and accused him of taking her. Everything seemed so backward right now, so out of place. I felt myself being pushed toward the edge of sanity as the torment of not knowing my daughter's whereabouts threatened to take over my entire being. I didn't know if vampires could lose their sanity, but there was a first time for everything, I supposed. I felt extremely close to the breaking point. I nodded at Edward in defeat. Any help we could get at this point was well worth it. I had a feeling we were going to need it.  
"Demetri?" Aro looked at him questioningly.  
"Yes, master, I would be more than happy to provide this service…for you." Demetri looked anything but happy, but I knew he would never deny a request from Aro.  
"Excellent!" Aro exclaimed. "I wish you a most fruitful journey, dear Cullens, and give you my most sincere wish for a safe recovery of your sweet Nessie."  
I cringed slightly at Aro's use of my daughter's nickname, but recovered myself quickly. We had a job to do. I didn't know how or when we would find her, but I was determined to have my daughter back safe with us. I tried desperately to hold on to that determination, to hold myself together, to not let the crushing fear and agony that was building in my heart overwhelm me. Where was Renesmee? How long would I have to wait before she was in my arms again?

Aro, I have one more matter to discuss with you before we leave," Edward said, as he drew me to his side. I was very uneasy about everything that had just happened, my thoughts swirling crazily through my head. Nothing was making sense to me. How had we come to the point where we were putting our trust in Aro, in Demetri, to help us find our daughter when we'd been completely convinced that the Volturi had taken her? I still didn't entirely trust Aro. Maybe this was some sort of complex trap that he was setting up for us. However, we didn't have any options left at this point but to place our trust in him. That didn't mean that I had to like it.  
"Yes, Edward?" Aro asked, folding his hands together in front of him, a solemn expression on his face. He was the very picture of a saint willing to sacrifice anything to help his friends.  
"I was curious about the birthday gift that you sent to Renesmee," Edward said.  
"Ah, yes. What about it?" Aro questioned with wide-eyed innocence. If I wasn't aware of his true nature, he would have me completely fooled.  
"Well, to be honest, your gift to our daughter was one of the first things that led us to believe that you were having her followed, and that you were the one who was ultimately behind her disappearance." Edward looked slightly uncomfortable at this admission, though he was grimly determined to flesh out every facet of the truth.  
"Ha ha ha!" Aro laughed joyously. "Why, Edward, the gift I bestowed upon your daughter was merely that, a gift in celebration of her most important milestone. Just a small token of my esteem," he proclaimed, smiling broadly at the two of us.  
Edward nodded, but I could tell from the look in his eyes that he wasn't buying it. Then he said, "We'll be leaving now, Aro.. I'm…sorry to have barged in here and made these accusations against you and your coven, but surely you can understand my state of mind. I'm frantic to find my daughter, and must explore every possibility. And…thank you for allowing us to take Demetri along with us. I'm sure his talents will help us find Renesmee very quickly." I knew how hard it was for Edward to have to say this to Aro. I grasped his hand and squeezed it gently. Having to apologize to the Volturi, as well as having to thank them for helping us was just a small testimony to how indescribably anxious we all were to have our Nessie back with us, safe again.  
Aro waved his hand at Edward dismissively. "Of course I understand, my young friend. No apologies are necessary, and I am more than happy to accommodate any need you might have in the search for your precious child. Again, I wish you well on your journey. Until we meet again, my friends," he said, gesturing to us all magnanimously. I could have gagged on the sugary sweetness of his false sincerity. I couldn't wait a moment longer to leave this macabre place, to be on our way and get on with our search. I turned to go, but stopped short as Embry approached Edward and me. There was a look of utter supplication on his face, and I knew what he was going to say before he opened his mouth. I felt a stab of pity for him. He was going to request that we be allowed to take Dulcea with us. He could no more leave her behind than Jacob would have been able to leave Nessie here. Embry whispered to Edward for a few minutes, Edward nodding his head before turning to Carlisle to confer with him briefly. Carlisle seemed a little taken aback, then smiled reassuringly at Embry.  
"Aro, one more thing before we go," Carlisle said, as he turned to address the black haired, ancient vampire. "We have a…well, rather unusual request for you."  
Aro raised his eyebrows, but said nothing as he gestured for Carlisle to continue.  
"As you may recall from our last…meeting, you learned quite a bit about our shape-shifting Quileute friends. You may remember "hearing" about the imprinting process through Edward's thoughts. It seems as if Embry here," Carlisle gestured to Embry, who stood next to him, nervously twisting his hands, "has imprinted on one of your coven members, Demetri's daughter, Dulcea. He has requested of me to ask you if it would be possible for her to come with us."  
Aro rubbed his chin with one hand thoughtfully. "Hmm, interesting. Marcus has already conveyed to me the depth of his feeling for young Dulcea. The imprinting phenomenon is quite fascinating. To feel such an utter devotion for someone you have just laid eyes on…yes, fascinating indeed. Well, my dear ones are certainly free to leave my coven as they wish. I will leave the final decision up to her." He indicated that Dulcea should come forward. She walked tentatively to Aro's side, confusion and fear evident in her expression. Poor thing. She didn't know anything about imprinting, and we were all complete strangers to her. The Volturi was the only family she had ever known, but I didn't believe that she felt truly comfortable here, judging by the way she had reacted to the mention of the loss of her mother. She had to know that Aro had it within his power to save her mother, as well as her sister's. Aro gently cupped her face in his hands, tilting it up to look into her eyes. "My darling, the Cullen family is requesting that you leave us to journey with them. The young lad here as become quite taken with you," he said, nodding in Embry's direction. Dulcea glanced at Embry, blushing deeply, then looked back to Aro.  
"Master?" she questioned uncertainly. She glanced anxiously over her shoulder in the direction of her sister, Amelia.  
"It is your decision, my sweetling. Of course, should you decide to go, please know that you can come home whenever you wish. You would be welcomed back with open arms," Aro replied, a wistful sadness in his eyes.

"Dulcea, you and your sister are more than welcome to come with us, and I will gladly open my home to the both of you for as long as you are willing to stay," Carlisle offered. His kindness and generosity never ceased to amaze me. I guessed that Edward had told him of what he'd seen in Aro's mind, that these two half vampire girls meant nothing to him, that he would think nothing of destroying them.  
"Amelia?" Dulcea turned to her sister.  
"I will go wherever you go, sister," Amelia replied, a tad hopefully, it seemed.  
Dulcea nodded, and looked over our group. Carlisle's compassion and Embry's obvious devotion must have weighed heavily in her decision.  
"Master, if it's alright with you, I would like to go with the Cullens," she whispered nervously.  
"Of course, dear one. I would not begrudge you the opportunity to get to know these wonderful people better. I wish you well, my love," he said, kissing her on the forehead.  
I bit my lip in an effort to hold back a snarl of contempt. If either of these girls had possessed any sort of profitable talent for him, this conversation would not even be taking place. I mentally shook myself, then smiled encouragingly at the two girls, extending a hand out to them. Amelia walked toward me, smiling shyly, taking my hand in hers. I would do everything in my power to make them feel like a part of my family. Dulcea went to stand by Embry's side, bowing her head, but willingly taking his hand as he reached out to her. Embry was grinning from ear to ear. I had to chuckle softly to myself at his blatant happiness. I glanced at Demetri to note his reaction to all of this. He looked unconcerned. Surely the girls noticed his apathy as well, for they barely looked his way as they joined us.  
"Are we ready, then?" Carlisle asked us, and we all nodded or murmured our assent.  
"Goodbye, my friends! Come back and visit us again soon," Aro said, an amused gleam in his eyes.  
As I was turning to go, I caught a glimpse of Marcus's face that stopped me cold. I had never seen any expression on his face other than dead boredom; yet as he stared at Embry and Dulcea, walking hand in hand, there was a mournful look on his face, one that roused a surprising wave of sympathy from me. Edward halted as he felt my resistance, our linked hands causing him to come to an abrupt stop as I froze. He looked at me with a puzzled expression, then followed the line of my sight and gasped as he took in Marcus's expression. We both saw the look of disgusted contempt that crossed Caius's face. Edward went paler than normal as he read the thoughts behind that malice.  
"Brother, has it not yet been long enough for you to get over the death of your beloved Didyme?" Caius sneered.  
"What is it Edward?" I whispered.  
"Bella, we need to go, NOW," he said, furtively tugging on my hand.  
Aro caught our exchange, at first looking puzzled, then as comprehension settled over his features, I noted a small spark of fear in his eyes. He quickly turned to Caius and Marcus, seemingly to defuse a bomb that was set to go off. I didn't question Edward further until we were safely out of the throne room, I just complied with him and hurried after him as we raced down the hall toward the stairs. Demetri had led the rest our group down to the lobby, and we left the building together, hurrying toward the main gates of the city. Edward and I fell behind a little, letting the others get a discreet distance ahead so we could speak privately.  
"What was that all about Edward?" I asked in a low tone.  
He was visibly shaken, but gave me a weak smile as he answered my question.  
"I'm sorry, love, I was shocked for a moment at hearing Caius's thoughts. Though I suppose I shouldn't be all that surprised," he mused, staring off ahead of us into the distance.  
"What was he thinking about?" I queried.  
"Marcus was saddened at seeing Dulcea and Embry together. It reminded him of his wife, Didyme, who passed away many years ago," he explained. I thought back to the confrontation, to the two, black cloaked, frail wives that had accompanied the Volturi that day. I had wondered briefly why there were only two of them, thinking that perhaps one of the three leaders of the Italian coven had perhaps never found a mate. Edward had told me later that Marcus had had a wife, but that she had died under mysterious circumstances centuries ago.  
I listened attentively now as he went on.  
"Caius, the fiend, views Marcus as the weakest link, as he has never been able to get over the loss of his mate. He hasn't cared about anything since her passing. He's developed an attitude of apathy about everything, and Caius looks down on him for it, thinking he isn't half the man he used to be. In a way, he's right, but…" Edward trailed off, lost in thought. "I don't know if he meant for me to know his thoughts, or if it simply bubbled up from his subconscious, but Caius was just now thinking about the details surrounding Didyme's death. He was thinking…" he paused, looking at my face, wondering if he should go on. "He was remembering how Aro was the one who killed her."  
I gasped in shock. I always knew that Aro was a monster, but to kill his brother's wife? That was beyond atrocious.  
"There's more," Edward continued in a quiet voice. "Didyme was Aro's biological sister."  
I froze. Killing a brother's wife was horrendous enough, but killing one's own sister? Would there never be an end to Aro's depravity?  
"Why? Why would he so something like that?" I shivered in revulsion.  
"I don't know," Edward breathed, pausing to wrap his arms around my waist. "I didn't want to stay long enough to find out. But Aro is a very calculating man, and never does anything without some sort of malicious intent behind the action."  
I snapped my head up to look into his eyes. "So, Aro allowing Demetri to help us find Nessie…is there some hidden agenda there as well?" My voice quivered in fear.  
Edward stroked my hair, trailing his hand down along my face to cup my chin. "I don't know, love. Let's not think about it right now, ok? Let's just concentrate on finding Nessie." He kissed me softly on the lips, holding me against him tightly.  
I nodded, and held his hand once more. We flew together through the darkness, out of the gates of the city, toward Jacob and the others. My earlier feeling of dread blossomed in my chest, spreading through my entire body, threatening to paralyze me. I fervently prayed for this nightmare to end.


	22. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Jacob  
I paced back and forth across the wide expanse of the hillside agitatedly. I was going out of my mind with rage and fear. What if Nessie was in there right now, in the middle of a violent battle? What if she got hurt or… or worse? I shook my head and clenched my fists, growling to myself. Just because Alice had seen only two half vampires with the Volturi didn't mean that Nessie wasn't in there too. I thought that Edward was foolish to make the assumption that Nessie was being held someplace else based on that flimsy evidence. It was all I could do to stop myself from storming into the city, from plowing through the Volturi and ripping them to shreds. I knew the others hadn't been gone that long, but it seemed like an eternity. I didn't know how much longer I could hold out. I was close to my breaking point._  
To hell with it_, I decided. I changed my course and started to head for the city, when Sam grabbed my arm and pointed toward the gates. Bella and the others were coming back! Did they have Nessie with them? I wasn't going to wait another minute to find out. I raced toward the group of vampires at lightning speed, meeting them before they'd all completely made it out of the gates. I searched the crowd frantically, my heart galloping in my chest, my breath coming in short pants. I didn't see her…where was she? I started shoving my way through the bloodsuckers toward the back of their group, where I caught a glimpse of Bella and Edward, and…a violent rumbling started in my chest as I recognized the leech walking next to them. Demetri. What the hell was he doing here? Why was he still breathing air? I grabbed Bella and pulled her over to the side.  
"Where's Nessie?" I demanded furiously.  
"Jacob, she's not here," Bella answered in a subdued tone.  
"What the hell are you talking about?" I shouted. Edward stalked over to us and put his arm around Bella's waist protectively.  
"We confronted Aro, and it turns out that he's not the one behind Renesmee's disappearance," he said in a tight voice.  
"How do you know that for sure?" I yelled, as I turned on him.  
"He told us that he has no knowledge of her whereabouts-"  
"And you actually _believed_ that evil, conniving-" I cut in.  
"-and we know he's telling us the truth because Maggie and Charles can see that sort of thing," Edward finished calmly, as if I hadn't interrupted him.  
"So, what you're telling me is, Renesmee isn't here, and you believe that because _Aro _said so, and because those two bloodsucking, walking talking vials of truth serum said so," I sneered in disgust.  
"Jacob, this is hard for us all. I understand your frustration, believe me, I do, but standing here arguing with one another is not going to help us find Renesmee," Edward said sternly.  
"What's _he _doing here?" I jabbed my finger in Demetri's direction.  
"He's here to help us track Nessie down," Bella said, taking a deep breath. Studying her face carefully, I could tell that she didn't like this situation any more than I did.  
"And we're supposed to trust him?" I asked incredulously. I couldn't believe this was happening. There was no way I was going to put my trust in one of Aro's minions.  
"He's the best tracker in the world, Jacob, and at this point, we have no choice but to trust him," Edward shrugged in defeat.  
I took a few deep breaths as I contemplated this. If the Volturi didn't have Nessie, then who did? Who else would have any reason to take her?  
"I don't know, but we're damn well going to find out," Edward said in a steely tone.  
"What about the two half vampire women?" I asked.  
"There were two half vampires with Aro, but…" he hesitated, glancing briefly at Demetri. "They're not the same ones who took Nessie." Edward cleared his throat before he went on. "They are Demetri's daughters," he said, gesturing toward two young girls who were standing beside Embry, whom I hadn't noticed before now in my haste to search the crowd for Nessie. I studied them, noting that the one with the brown hair was a little taller than the one with the blonde hair. No, they hadn't taken Nessie. The crushing disappointment was almost more than I could bear.  
"So what are we gonna do now?"  
"We've filled Demetri in on everything that's happened, from the moment we felt that Nessie was being stalked back in Forks, to her disappearance. He has a few ideas on who might have taken her, but first, he wants to go back to the last place where Nessie was seen," Bella said.  
I raised an eyebrow at her, and she nodded.  
"We're going back to Pontevedra."


	23. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Nessie

"Unnhh," I groaned, struggling to sit up. I opened my eyes to the ever present darkness of my prison. How long had I been here? Hours? Days? Weeks, even? I had no idea. I had been in and out of consciousness so much, I had no way of knowing what time, or even what day it was. There were no windows in this room, no natural light filtering in at all, so I couldn't mark time that way either. My stomach rumbled. I was absolutely starving. They'd only bothered to bring food to me one time, and it had smelled so disgusting that I couldn't bear to look at it, much less eat it. My throat was parched from lack of fluids, and I knew I was growing weaker with each passing hour. I longed for blood, was almost crazed by my need for it, but they sure weren't going to let me out to hunt. I tugged on my restraints out of habit. I knew they wouldn't give, but I had to do something to distract myself from the loneliness and grief that consumed me.  
The creaking of the door startled me, causing me to jerk a little. My heartbeat sped up and my breath came quicker as I peered into more darkness on the other side of the door. Odd. Usually, my infrequent visitors brought a torch or something similar to light their way, even though they didn't need it. The door continued to swing slowly open, and a black shadow entered the room, crouched low and moving stealthily toward me. I shrank back against the wall as far as I could, and closed my eyes tightly. I was paralyzed with fear. Maybe my captors had finally grown tired of me. Maybe my kidnapping hadn't fulfilled whatever purpose they'd intended it to. Maybe they'd sent someone in here to kill me…  
A soft, warm hand on mine made my eyes snap back open in shock and confusion. None of them had ever touched me before, except to give me the occasional kick, or to slap my face. None of them had ever touched me in an affectionate way. I struggled to make my eyes adjust to the darkness, but as a hauntingly familiar scent filled my nostrils, I knew I didn't need to see who knelt in front of me.  
"You!" I whispered in astonishment. How could this be? I was abruptly caught up in a wave of sickening vertigo, feeling as if I were falling off the edge of a precipice. A stabbing pain tore at my chest, making it hard for me to breathe, the unmitigated betrayal plunging through me like a double edged, bitter sword. I was beyond coherent thoughts or words for a few moments. I was completely stunned. He didn't say anything, he just stroked my cheek lovingly, humming a broken tune under his breath in an effort to comfort me. But how could I possibly be comforted at a time like this, knowing that he had betrayed me, had betrayed my entire family?  
"How could you-"  
"Ssshhh," he murmured. "I'll come back soon, I promise." He leaned over and brushed his lips against the corner of my mouth. I twisted my face away from him in disgust. I felt sick to my stomach. He gazed at me sadly for a moment, then rose and walked out of the room, shutting the door softly behind him. I began to sob uncontrollably as the sound of the bolt slid home.


	24. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Jacob

"Ok Bells, could you please explain to me again why we're here?" I was so frustrated I wanted to rip my hair out. Or more accurately, I wanted to rip Demetri's face off. I didn't completely understand how his talent worked, but coming back to Pontevedra seemed like a huge waste of time to me. We'd made it here in record time, flying in a private jet that belonged to the Volturi. I'd shaken my head at seeing the massive, luxurious craft nestled inside a secluded hangar several miles from Volterra, but I hadn't been all that surprised. Money and possessions meant little to the immortal.  
Bella was just as frustrated as I was, but seemed to have a better handle on it. She sighed heavily as she answered my question. "Demetri said that it would help him a great deal to go to the last place Nessie was before she disappeared, so he can pick up what's left of her scent. He said that her scent would better help him catch the flavor of her mind," she rolled her eyes as she explained this to me. I knew she wasn't buying it.  
"The thing is, once Demetri picks up on someone's…essence, I guess you'd say, he never forgets it. It's sort of like a human never forgetting what chocolate ice cream tastes like, or the flavor of lasagna, or broccoli. Since Demetri has been around Nessie before, he should already be familiar with her mind. So, honestly Jake, I don't understand why we've come back here either."  
"Aro wanted him to come here and gather as much information as possible about Nessie's disappearance," Edward explained, as he reached over to squeeze Bella's hand. We were sitting in the waiting area of the airport, while the other vampires and wolves were scattered around the place, trying to appear casual and remain as inconspicuous as possible. "I don't know exactly why he wants that information. He worked hard to hide his motivations from me, so I could only see that he wanted Demetri to come here, but not the reason why."  
Edward looked exhausted, as tired as I'd ever seen him, as much as it was possible for a vampire to look._  
Can we please kill Demetri once he's found Nessie? _I didn't want to say this aloud, for fear of upsetting Bella. But hell, she might think it was a great idea. An image of the three of us tearing him to shreds filled me with a grim satisfaction. _I think we could take him, no problem._  
Edward chuckled humorlessly. "As appealing as that sounds, I don't think we should risk it. As I've said before, Aro is no fool. He wouldn't send Demetri out alone with us, without some insurance. He tried to hide it from me, but I saw his decision to send a few members of his guard to follow us, to make sure Demetri remains unharmed. The last thing we need right now is a war with the Volturi." _  
Great, more Italian scumbags, that's just wonderful_, I thought. Edward's eyes glazed over for a moment and I could tell that, despite his words, he was lost in a fantasy of taking Demetri down, of possibly battling the entire Volturi coven. Bella looked at him questioningly, but he just shook his head at her and gave her a weak smile. I surveyed the lobby of the airport while we waited on Demetri to be done with his investigation. I saw Embry sitting with the new additions to our group, the half vampires Dulcea and Amelia, next to the fountain, talking animatedly. I was truly happy that my brother had found his other half, although I had to admit that it was a little odd that he and I had both imprinted on half vampires. Must be something weird in our genes. We who had previously loathed vampires were now willing to lay down our lives for them. My life sure had taken some crazy turns, there was no doubt about that. I had been a happy, normal kid growing up in a normal town for most of my life; then, at the age of sixteen, I'd been unexpectedly and abruptly thrust into the world of the supernatural. It had seemed like confusion, heartbreak, and rage had ruled my life for those first turbulent months as I'd tried to adjust to becoming a monster, and to losing the girl I'd thought I loved forever. That had all changed when Nessie had come into my life, though. She had been a soothing balm for my soul, making everything that had passed before seem insignificant. The trivial chaos of my life had evaporated instantly the first time I looked into her beautiful brown eyes. She had shaped my entire existence, had defined who I was and was meant to be, had made everything make sense for me. Without her, my life had no meaning. I was like a ship lost at sea, lost in a fog without a beacon to guide me home. My life was not worth living if she wasn't here to share it with. Edward looked over the top of Bella's head at me as he read these thoughts. The pain in my eyes was reflected in his own. He leaned over and kissed Bella's head tenderly, and I knew that his thoughts were not just for his daughter in that moment, but also for the agony he would feel if he ever lost the reason for his existence.  
Demetri sauntered over to us just then, and I jumped to my feet in anticipation. I crossed my arms over my chest and towered over him as I waited for him to speak.  
"I have what I need to find your daughter now. Gather the others together and we'll leave at once," he said in an even tone.  
"Where is she?" Edward demanded, also rising to his feet. Before Demetri could respond, Jasper appeared at Edward's side, a look of terror on his face.  
"Edward, you need to come with me. It's Alice."  
Alice and Jasper had remained outside the airport, in a thick copse of trees about a mile away from the building so she could try and concentrate on the future without being obstructed by the wolves and half vampires in our company. When we came upon her, she was sitting on the ground with her arms wrapped around her knees, rocking back and forth, moaning pitifully. I didn't realize she was speaking until I was a few feet away from her. I struggled to make out her whispered words as she shook uncontrollably.  
"Bella, Bella, no….no…Bella," she sobbed. Jasper knelt by her side and put his arms around her tiny shoulders.  
"Alice?" Bella said gently, kneeling on the ground in front of her and taking her small hands. "Alice, I'm right here. What's wrong?" Bella patted Alice's hair in an effort to comfort her.  
Alice looked up slowly. Her black eyes shocked me. They seemed to dominate her entire face. The sorrow and horror I saw in them pierced through me, making me rock back on my heels, leaving me feeling unbalanced.  
Edward began to snarl ferociously, his fierce growls echoing and bouncing back to us in the dead silence of the trees. "No," he snapped, his jaws locking together. "That's not going to happen. That will _never_ happen."  
"What?" I demanded, but no one was paying attention to me. Bella was staring at Edward with a mystified, slightly fearful expression.  
"Edward, what is it?" she whispered.  
Alice shook her head, struggling to come back to herself. "I'm sorry, Edward," she murmured softly, turning her face down toward the ground.  
"But we have to go. I know who took Nessie. I know where she is."


	25. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Nessie_  
The cool breeze blowing off the ocean tickled my bare arms and legs, providing pleasant relief from the heat of the blazing sun that turned the backs of my eyelids crimson and threatened to redden my skin.  
The sound of the waves crashing against the shore mingled with the cries of seagulls flying overhead to form a soothing melody. I sighed contentedly and lay back on the soft blanket of sand, stretching. A sense of profound serenity filled my mind as I drifted through different levels of consciousness, half awake and halfway caught in a dreamlike state. I never wanted to leave this place, this little stretch of beach that Jake and I had made our own. Sensing him next to me, I turned my face toward him without opening my eyes. I could feel the heat of his body, could smell his delicious musky scent, could hear the steady rhythm of his breathing. He stroked my cheek gently with his fingertips, sending little tingles of electricity throughout my entire body.  
"Nessie?" he whispered.  
"Mmmm?" I drawled lazily.  
"Nessie, wake up." There was a strange, urgent quality to Jake's voice, making it sound distorted.  
"Jake? What is it?" I mumbled. I couldn't seem to put any strength in my voice. It was so relaxing lying next to Jake on the beach; I was filled with such tranquility that I was unconcerned about my inability to fully awaken.  
"Nessie, you have to wake up, right now. We have to go." His voice became sharper, more apprehensive, and there was something else…something about his voice that I couldn't quite put my finger on. Little warning bells began to sound in the back of my mind. I struggled to focus on what he was saying.  
"Nessie, can you hear me? We have to leave this place," Jake commanded. I felt his hands on my wrists, struggling with something heavy that seemed to be weighting my arms down. I fought through the layers of my peaceful stupor, sensing that all was not well here, that we were in some sort of danger. _  
"Dammit," he growled. His curse sent a thrill of fear rippling through my chest. I broke through the last layer of fog and snapped back to my bleak reality as I realized that it was no longer Jake's voice that I heard. The sounds and scents of the ocean abruptly disappeared as the redness behind my eyes faded to black. I blinked rapidly, only to be met by the ever present darkness that had surrounded me ever since I'd been locked up in my desolate prison. I turned my head slowly, the tendons creaking in my sore neck, and met the eyes of the one who had betrayed me. It was _him_.  
I hissed vehemently and tried to pull out of his grasp.  
"What are _you _doing here?" I spat.  
"I'm trying to help you. Now stop fighting me please so I can get these off of you," he bent and tampered some more with the manacles that encircled my wrists.  
"_Why_ are you helping me? Wasn't it you that brought me here?" I questioned, putting as much venom in my words as I could muster.  
"I don't have time to explain everything to you right now. They could come back any time. Let's just get out of here, and I promise I'll tell you later," he said through clenched teeth, then smiled triumphantly as he broke me free from my fetters. He wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me to my feet. I let him support my full weight while I tried to find my feet, numbed by lack of use. He half dragged me toward the open door and we ducked through into the blackened, dank hallway. He pressed a finger to my lips, indicating that I should keep quiet. I was so confused. Why was he helping me now? He'd come to see me infrequently throughout the time I'd been here, and had never said nor done anything to make me believe that he was on my side. I didn't question him further at the moment, too weak to fight with him and too anxious to be gone from this place. He'd promised me an explanation later, and I planned to hold him to that.  
We crept silently down the narrow tunnel, the echoes of dripping water splashing around us the only sound. We seemed to be in a maze, taking so many twists and turns that it made my head spin. I wondered for the millionth time exactly where I was. We reached the end of the blackest hall yet, and I could see the outline of a wooden door before us. My heart flew in my chest as I tasted freedom on my tongue. He reached slowly for the doorknob but before his fingers made contact, we both saw the knob begin to twist on its own. My heart stuttered over a few beats and my breath caught in my throat. He pulled me tightly against him, backing up a few paces. The door abruptly flew open, crashing against the stone wall of the passageway with a resounding boom. I gasped as I took in the familiar sight of the man that filled the doorway with his menacing presence, the man who had come to my cell to bring me food occasionally, as well as to psychologically torture me, telling me that I was never going to see my beloved family again. His cruel words echoed in my head as he now loomed over us, his long black hair gleaming in the dim light that poured into the tunnel from behind him, his pale skin glowing in the darkness, his ruby eyes glinting dangerously. There was slight surprise in his expression at seeing us, then understanding as he snarled angrily.  
"I knew I couldn't trust you," he sneered, directing his frightening glare toward the one beside me.  
Before either of us could speak, a second man entered the tunnel, sidling up next to the terrifying vampire that stood before us. My body completely froze in shock as I recognized the sandy haired newcomer. How could this be? It was impossible…  
"Kade?" I whispered incredulously.  
The vampire smirked at me as his name escaped my trembling lips, his red eyes flashing with wicked mirth. Quick as a cobra, he struck me in the face with such force that I fell to the floor in a heap. The black haired vampire chuckled briefly, then attacked my rescuer just as swiftly, knocking him completely unconscious with one powerful blow.  
My scream pierced the pitch-darkness as he crumpled to the floor beside me.  
"Nahuel!"


	26. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25**

Bella  
Jasper helped Alice to her feet. She seemed strangely weakened, not quite herself. The haunted look in her eyes made me shiver. She now knew where Nessie was, but there was no joy or excitement in the revelation for her. It seemed only a small part of what she'd seen. Since she'd said my name repeatedly during her vision, I knew a large portion of it concerned me, and that it was bad, but she refused to reveal any of the details save for the whereabouts of my daughter.  
I gently placed my hands on either side of her face.  
"Alice," I said softly. "Where's Nessie?"  
She was silent for a moment, staring down as if she were finding it difficult to look at me. Slowly, she raised her head and met my gaze with an expression of infinite sadness. Her huge, dark eyes swam with horror, and seemed to fill the world until I could see nothing else.  
"She's in Romania. Moldavia, to be exact. I saw…Stefan and Vladimir talking about her, about how we'd be coming for her soon," she whispered, frowning slightly. "They seemed happy about that," she added, almost in an offhand manner. A low, menacing growl emanated from Edward's chest. I knew there was more that she wanted to say, that telling me who had my daughter was not at the forefront of her mind. The indecision on her face was painfully evident as she struggled with herself.  
"No, Alice," Edward growled. "There's no point in saying more. You know as well as anyone that your visions are not infallible. We need to concentrate on Renesmee right now. We need to figure out why Stefan and Vladimir took her."  
"Who _cares_ why those creepy bloodsuckers took her!" Jacob exclaimed. "We know where she is, so let's _go_!" He began to stomp off in the direction of the airport terminal, but Edward grabbed his arm to restrain him.  
"Wait, Jacob. We need to figure out how we're going to approach the situation before we go storming off to Romania. We don't know what tricks those two fiends have up their sleeves."  
Jacob sighed heavily and began tapping his foot impatiently. "Ok, so, come up with a game plan already. I don't know about everyone else, but I'm getting a little tired of these wild goose chases. So far, we've come up empty handed with everything we've done and every place we've gone. But I trust Alice's visions," he gestured to Alice as he said this, and she grimaced in response. "So let's figure this thing out and get going!"  
"Alice said they already know we're coming, so we could be walking into a trap," Edward mused.  
"That doesn't matter. I agree with Jacob. We need to go now. I'm not going to wait any longer to have my daughter back in my arms," I huffed determinedly. I sensed that Edward's and Alice's hesitation had more to do with the possible fate Alice had seen for me than in any scheming on the part of the Romanians, and it angered me. Renesmee was far more important than anything that might happen to me.  
"Maybe…" Alice said hesitantly, "Maybe Bella should stay behind. Some of us could stay with her, and the rest of us could go on ahead to Romania."  
I stared at her in disbelief, and did not miss the meaningful look that passed between her and Edward. There was a hopeful gleam in his eyes, a hope that he should have known better than to trust in.  
"No! No way, Alice. There's no way in hell that I'm staying behind. She's my _daughter_, for crying out loud! Of course I'm going with you!" I shrieked.  
Edward wrapped his arms around my shoulders in an effort to calm and quiet me. The small spark of hope was gone, replaced by a resigned disappointment. Did they not know me at all? Did they actually think for one second that I would agree to stay behind?  
"Why should Bella have to stay here?" Jacob questioned, a puzzled look on his face. He'd obviously not picked up on the tension between Edward, Alice, and I over her vision, he was so focused on getting Renesmee back. I didn't blame him one bit. I knew he was going crazy without her, like we all were.  
"It's not important," I said quickly. I didn't want anyone else worrying about me. "We should just go. Besides, we all may need my shield for protection. As Edward pointed out, we don't know what the Romanians have in store for us."  
The rest of our group nodded and murmured in agreement. I didn't believe that Stefan and Vladimir were in this by themselves. They had to be in collusion with other vampires to have pulled this off. The two half vampire women that Jacob, Embry, and Seth remembered being on their plane were proof of that.  
Edward sighed and turned to Demetri. The member of the Volturi guard had stood silently by, taking it all in. I knew he couldn't wait to return to Volterra to report back to Aro everything he had learned. "Demetri, it looks as though we will no longer be needing your services. Please tell Aro that we appreciate his help," Edward said grudgingly.  
Demetri merely nodded, and said, "Of course. Nothing pleases Aro more than to be able to help his friends."  
I almost gagged at hearing this, but fought it back. I just wanted to be rid of Demetri and whoever else had followed him here so we could be free to go to my daughter.  
Demetri turned to go, then hesitated. "You are more than welcome to continue to use the jet, if you'd like. It would be more convenient, and perhaps a faster means of travel for you," he offered.  
Edward looked to Carlisle, who shrugged his shoulders. "It's up to you, Edward," he said.  
"Thank you, Demetri, that is most generous of you. We accept. We'll return the plane as soon as we can."  
Demetri nodded again, then was gone in the blink of an eye. Our group headed back toward the plane, where the human pilot sat slumped in the cockpit, catching a cat nap. A brave man indeed, to be transporting a plane full of monsters without the slightest hint of fear about him. Or rather, a completely oblivious man.  
Once on the plane and heading east, I noted that Jacob was practically bouncing in his seat, though there was a look of pure exhaustion on his face.  
"Jake, why don't you try and get some sleep?" I suggested. "It will be a few hours until we arrive, and there's not much else to do right now."  
"You know Bells, I don't think I've ever flown as much in my life as I have this past week," he grinned weakly. "It makes me nervous. 'Sides, I don't think I'll be able to sleep until we get Nessie back." He yawned hugely and settled back into his seat. Despite his words, he was soon fast asleep and snoring softly. I was glad. He needed to rest, to catch up on his sleep so he could be fully refreshed for what was to come. I had no idea how the upcoming confrontation would play out. With so many of us, it seemed almost too easy to take out the Romanians and rescue Nessie. I tried not to think about Alice's vision, concentrating instead on Nessie's beautiful face, how happy our reunion would be. _We're coming, sweetheart. Just hold on a little while longer._


	27. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Jacob

It seemed like my eyes had been closed for only a few minutes when we landed in Romania, but I was instantly on my feet the moment I felt Bella's cold hand on my shoulder, gently shaking me. I wasn't the slightest bit disoriented, despite how exhausted I was. I felt intensely guilty for having slept at all, what with Nessie still in danger, but I never stopped thinking about her for one second. Not even in my dreams. It seemed as if every cell in my body cried out for her, my arms aching to hold her again, my eyes searching constantly for her beautiful face. Every day that passed without her only made these feelings more intense, made the hollowness in my soul become a gaping, searing wound. Now that we finally knew where Nessie was for certain, a new, unidentifiable sensation beat a steady rhythm through my mind and raced through my veins, something akin to adrenaline, urging me to hurry, hurry, _hurry_….  
The pilot had landed the plane at a private air strip, not far from the main airport in Iasi (which Edward informed us is pronounced "yash"…go figure), so as not to draw attention to our very large, very odd-looking group. Embry was the last one to get off the plane, and I could tell immediately that something was wrong with him. He was moving slowly, almost reluctantly, down the rickety metal steps, one arm wrapped around Dulcea protectively. I could pretty much guess what he was going to say when he made his way over to me.  
"Jake man, I know how crazy you are to find Nessie, and you know how much I want to help you, but…" he glanced at Dulcea, then looked back at me, and my guess was confirmed as I took in the worry and fear in his eyes. He didn't want to place Dulcea in harm's way if he could prevent it. We didn't know what was going to happen once we found the creepy Dracula twins' lair with Alice being blinded by half our company, if we'd have to fight them to get Nessie back. Or more accurately, how _many_ of us would have to fight them and whoever they had partnered up with. I was convinced the odds were in our favor, number wise.  
I clapped him on the shoulder and smiled reassuringly at him. "It's ok man. You stay here with Dulcea and her sister. I'll ask a few of the younger guys in Sam's pack to stay here too, just in case."  
"Are you sure Jake? I hate to do this to you, but…well, you know," Embry shrugged.  
"Yeah, I do know. I'd feel the same way, if I was in your shoes." As much as our families and pack members meant to us, nothing came before the safety and happiness of the ones we imprinted on.  
I quickly worked out the details with Sam, and he ordered Brady, Collin, and Nolan, the youngest of all the wolves, to stay behind. They grumbled a little at having to miss out on the action, but obeyed without question. Leaving them behind brought our group down to 33, but I wasn't worried. We still surely outnumbered the Romanians and their cohorts.  
Carlisle told us that after the Volturi had burned their castle and overthrown them, the Romanians had moved into a new residence and had kept it for centuries; we planned to look there first. Alice had seen a small bit of the countryside surrounding the abandoned monastery, so she and Carlisle didn't think it would be too difficult to find. The wolves all went off into the trees to phase before we set out, except for me. I'd decided to remain in my human form for the time being, mostly so I could communicate more effectively with Edward and Bella. As we started out, I couldn't help but notice how beautiful the countryside was, the rolling hills and lush forests bathed in silver light from the full moon. Far to the west, the peaks of the imposing Carpathian mountains could be seen through the low cloud bank. The serene beauty of this place was sort of ironic, seeing as how all the original vampire legends had started in this very country. A person would expect it to look way more creepy. Nessie, being a true lover of nature, would really appreciate this scene if she hadn't been brought here under the circumstances she had been. I sighed and thought for a moment how nice it would be to walk hand in hand with her through these fields full of wild flowers, with the light breeze blowing over our skin. _Soon_, I thought. Once I had her back in my arms where she belonged, I'd never let her go.  
It didn't take us long to reach the place Alice had seen in her vision. The ancient monastery stood in the middle of the forest, partially hidden among the thick trees. It was literally falling apart, the walls crumbling and the roof sagging in the middle. Old fashioned torches lit the main entryway, one on either side of the massive oak doors, encased in metal sconces. Now, this was a truly spooky sight. It chilled me to the bone to think of Nessie inside that awful place. It also angered me immensely to think how scared she must be, surrounded by the reeking bloodsuckers who'd taken her, not knowing if or when she'd see any of us again.  
We stopped about fifty yards from the entrance to the Romanians' lair at Edward's insistence.  
"They already know we're here. They're on their way out to meet us right now."


	28. Chapter 27

Chapter 27

Nessie

"Renesmee?" a soft, unfamiliar voice whispered. It was coming through a crack in the door to my cell.  
I peered through the darkness toward the sound, but did not respond. I was in too much pain to speak. My jaw was still swollen and sore from being struck by the vampire I'd thought was Kade, and I could barely move my arms and legs. Even in the blackness of my prison room, I could see that my limbs were covered in multiple bruises, bruises that I'd acquired at the hands of the sadistic vampire that had beaten me for trying to escape. He'd taken great pleasure in tossing me around this room, slamming me against the stone walls like a rag doll, and striking my face repeatedly before chaining me up again. I had no idea what had become of Nahuel. I hadn't seen or heard anything from him since our near escape. I was sure he'd suffered just as badly as I had, if not worse. I was filled with a pure, white hot rage I'd never experienced before as I thought about what might have happened to him. He'd only been trying to help me, I could see that now. I didn't know how or why he had come to be here, but he'd never betrayed my family or me, I was positive of that.  
I fervently wished, not for the first time, that I was a full vampire instead of a half breed; only the reasons behind my wish were new. Before this, I'd merely longed to be a full vampire so that my family's fears concerning my exact life span would be quelled. I wished for it now so that I could have the necessary strength to break free of my bonds, to rescue Nahuel, and to exact revenge on those that had brutalized me and brought pain to my loved ones. I envisioned the strange, yet oddly familiar face of my latest tormentor, setting it in my mind, committing it to memory. Once I'd gotten over the initial shock of seeing "Kade" here, I'd wondered briefly how he could possibly be a vampire without anyone knowing it. That was just before he'd punched me. After he'd yanked me to my feet and dragged me down the maze-like hallways back toward my cell, I realized that it wasn't Kade after all. Although the facial features were identical, I began to see that this was someone else, a complete stranger. The most perceptible differences between Kade and this man were his ice cold, marble hands clamped vice-like around the tops of my arms, his tell-tale chalky pallor, and the burgundy irises that marked him a drinker of human blood. I'd been close enough to Kade at school to feel the warm, vibrating waves of blood pulsating through his veins, to see the blush in his cheeks whenever he'd been embarrassed or angry. This man was also slightly taller than Kade and had a stockier build. His hair was a shade or two darker. That was as far as I'd gotten in my surreptitious study of my captor. I'd had no more time to ponder the question of his true identity; he'd flung me into my cell as soon as we'd arrived and had commenced to punish me. I'd blacked out after a while, and had no idea how much time had passed. It couldn't have been long since he'd left me, considering the amount of pain I was in.  
Another whisper brought me back to the present. A voice that I could now distinguish as female continued to call my name from the hall outside my room. I remained silent. I didn't care who she was or what she wanted, even though she sounded friendlier than anyone else who'd bothered to talk to me here. I heard the click of the bolt on my door, and then a steady creaking as it swung slowly open. Apparently she wasn't going to give up or go away. I steeled myself for more punishment, trying desperately to project my mind to a happier time and place.  
The girl stealthily crept into my room and knelt by my side.  
"Renesmee, my name is Ximena. I would very much like to help you, if you would allow me to," she whispered.  
I didn't say anything for a moment as I studied her face. She was quite lovely, with skin the color of teak, raven hair, and kind, dark brown eyes. She tentatively reached out and took my hand.  
"I have been a party to this insanity long enough. I cannot abide such cruelty to one of my own kind any longer. It was wrong of my sisters to take you and for my father to allow you to be caged like this, like some kind of animal," Ximena mumbled, shaking her head sadly. "I used to look up to him. I used to respect him as a brilliant, innovative man. Now I just look upon him as one who has gone utterly mad."  
"Who..," I croaked. My throat was so dry, it felt like sandpaper baking in the desert. I coughed a little to clear my throat before I went on. "Who is your father?"  
"His name is Joham. He is my biological father. My human mother died giving birth to me almost two decades ago, and it is something I have now only come to regret." A look of genuine sadness passed across her face, and I couldn't help feeling a stab of sympathy for her.  
"That means….you're Nahuel's sister," I whispered.  
"Yes, Nahuel is my brother. I have come to know him well since we arrived here. He is truly an amazing person. He only came here in the hopes of convincing our father to release you, then stayed on when his attempt failed. He fooled Joham into believing he'd reconciled himself to our father's plans, and secretly plotted ways to free you. I told him that I would do everything I could to aid him. When the two of you were caught, there was nothing I could do but stand by and watch as they…beat you. I am truly sorry for that, but if they suspected I was helping you…I would have been locked away as well, and would be of no use to you now," she explained, shame clouding her features, her eyes beseeching me for forgiveness.  
"I understand. I'm glad you didn't step in. You only would have gotten yourself hurt," I assured her.  
I didn't know why, but I was beginning to feel a kinship with this woman, though I had just met her. She seemed so kind and sincere, and I believed that she really did want to help me.  
"So what are we going to do?" I asked.  
She frowned slightly at my question, thought for a moment, and then said, "I'm not sure. I can't get you out of here by myself. Nahuel is being kept in a room just down the hall, bound with chains as you are. I don't have the keys to the restraints. My father keeps them at all times…"  
The small spark of hope that had begun to blossom in my mind was quickly extinguished. Ximena clearly wasn't strong enough to break my bonds, nor could she pick the locks as Nahuel had done. If she could have, she would have already done so. I wracked my brain for a way to escape, but nothing came. I couldn't seem to think through the pain and exhaustion that enveloped me.  
Ximena got up from the floor slowly, lost in her own thoughts. "I'm going to go and ask if I can bring you something to eat. I'll try to find out as much as I can, and see if there is a way that I can get the keys. I'll be back soon," she promised. She didn't sound very hopeful, so I didn't dare to dream that she could get me out of here. In any case, it was nice just to know that not everyone here was malicious, that someone here was treating me kindly and was willing to help me. I nodded off after Ximena left, snatches of nightmarish scenes of isolation and torture plaguing me and keeping me from any real rest. I snapped fully awake immediately when I heard the door open again. Ximena came in carrying a tray with some fruit, a sandwich, and a glass of water. She placed it on the floor in front of me, and held the glass out so I could drink. I greedily gulped the water down, the soothing coolness instantly relieving my parched throat. It was heaven. She held the sandwich for me next. Although it wasn't particularly appealing to me, I tore into it with real pleasure. I longed for blood, but was immensely grateful for what Ximena had managed to bring me. I hadn't been given anything here except for moldy bread and the occasional glass of water. She let me eat for a while before she said anything. When she finally did speak, I understood why she hadn't shared her news with me right away. If she had, I might not have eaten anything, and I desperately needed some form of nutrition.  
Ximena's eyes sparkled with excitement, and anticipation rushed through me, giving me a bolt of much needed energy.  
"Your family is on their way here," she whispered, glancing over her shoulder every few seconds, as if she were afraid someone was listening in on our conversation. Most likely, someone was.  
"My parents? Jacob?" I asked, barely able to contain myself.  
"Yes, along with many others. They'll be here soon. My father has had one of my sisters following them since you were taken," she explained a little sheepishly. "Your family has been searching for you relentlessly, traveling non-stop. They went to Italy first because they thought the Volturi had taken you."  
"Well, that makes sense. Aro sent me a gift several months ago, on my birthday, and my parents weren't too thrilled about it. We discovered that I was being followed shortly after that, so we all assumed the Volturi was behind everything," I shrugged.  
"My father ordered my sister, Yara, to spy on you. I'm sorry about that. It's just a coincidence that she began following you after you received Aro's gift." Ximena bowed her head and began picking at my napkin, tearing it into little pieces.  
"Look, none of this is your fault, alright? You can't control what your father does, and you're not responsible for his schemes," I tried to soothe her.  
"I could have prevented this from happening," she sighed, tears springing to her eyes.. "I could have warned you and your family of my father's plans. If only I hadn't been so afraid…"  
"You're here now, and that's all that matters," I said firmly. "We need to be concentrating on a plan of our own. We need to think of a way to get to Nahuel, and for all of us to get out of here."  
"You're right," she nodded vigorously, apparently grateful that I was willing to forgive her so easily. "Let's see," she mused, getting to her feet. She paced back and forth with her chin in one hand. "If only there were some way that I could get a message to your family…"  
"You can!" I exclaimed a little too loudly. My mouth snapped shut instantly and we both froze, waiting to see if anyone would come storming in. A few frenzied heartbeats later, Ximena knelt beside me once again.  
"How?" she questioned quietly.  
"My father can read minds. It's his talent," I whispered. Ximena nodded, already having been informed of this.  
"If you can get close enough to him, all you have to do is get his attention with your thoughts, and let him know exactly where to find me," I explained.  
"Alright, but will he trust me? He might think I'm just setting your family up for some type of trap."  
"Hmm, that's true," I frowned. After a moment of thought, inspiration struck. "Wait, I can show you something, one of my early memories, something that no one else could possibly know about. You could think about it, and show him that I showed it to you. Does that make sense?" I blurted excitedly.  
"Yes, it does. And it's a good idea," Ximena grinned. She already knew about my special talent of course, as it had been her sister's mission to note every detail of my life and report it back to Joham. This thought burned me, but I shook it off and beckoned Ximena closer. She leaned down so I could lay my hand on her cheek. I already knew which memory I would show her. Though I was no more than a day old, I recalled with perfect clarity the first time my father had sung the special song he'd composed just for me, as he'd held me and rocked me in Carlisle's study, anxiously waiting for my mother to awaken from her transformation. His eyes had been filled with such adoration and complete devotion as he gazed upon me, holding me so tenderly, so lovingly. I lingered on the memory perhaps longer than I needed to, wanting desperately to see my father's face again, if only in my mind. I missed him terribly. I missed my entire family so much that it had become a constant ache in my heart.  
Ximena looked up at me, her eyes filling with tears again. "You are very fortunate to have such loving parents," she said. The longing in her eyes told me that she wished that she too could be part of a real family, to have people in her life that truly cared about her instead of being surrounded by vindictive monsters that only wanted to use her in their malignant plots.  
Searching for a distraction, I decided to ask Ximena about the man who'd beaten me.  
"He's one of my brothers. He-" She abruptly stopped speaking and cocked her head to one side, then turned back to me with panic in her eyes.  
"Someone's coming!" she whispered fiercely. "I have to go. I'll try to get to your father before they come here. I'll send someone back for you." She hurried from the room and quickly locked the door behind her.


	29. Chapter 28

Chapter 28

Bella

Waiting for the Romanians to come out and meet us was torture. They already knew we were here, so what were they waiting for? I could only guess that they wanted to prove to us that we were at their mercy, and that they were in complete control. As if kidnapping our daughter and holding her prisoner was not enough. A wild fury began to build in my chest, a low growl escaping from me as I considered going on and storming the place, and destroying anyone who got in my way as I searched for my daughter. Edward put an arm in front of me, blocking me. I'd opened my mind to him to share my thoughts in the hope that it might give us some small advantage over our enemies. Edward had always told me that I was extremely perceptive, and he just wanted us to cover all our bases in case he happened to miss something. I highly doubted that was possible. He was more observant than he gave himself credit for, even without his mind reading abilities.  
"Wait Bella," he whispered. "I'm picking something up…" he paused for a moment, listening to something the rest of us couldn't hear. Someone's thoughts….a few minutes later, he relayed to us what he had heard.  
"A woman named Ximena just sent me a message about Nessie."  
"What did she say?" I hissed. Jacob inched closer to us so he could hear everything too.  
"She said that she is a friend, that she wants to help us. She said she was just with Nessie, and that she wants to work with us to free her."  
"Yeah right," Jacob scoffed. "Don't believe her, Edward. It's probably just a trap."  
I nodded in agreement. I wasn't about to trust anyone who had gone along with taking my daughter away from me.  
"There's more," Edward quickly shook his head, holding up a hand to urge us to let him continue. "Nessie showed Ximena one of her memories to help her prove to us that we can trust her, a memory of me rocking her and singing to her when she was an infant. Nessie sent a message of her own through Ximena's mind, begging us to believe her, to send someone to meet Ximena so she can lead us to her."  
If I were still human, my heart would have been speeding in my chest. A ghost of adrenaline rushed through my dried out veins, but I was still a little suspicious. Why would this woman wait until now to try and help us get Nessie back?  
"Edward, are you sure it's not a trick?" I asked.  
"I don't think so," he responded, lost in thought for a moment. "There's no way Ximena could have known about Nessie's memory without it being shown to her. Nessie obviously trusts this woman, and we should trust Nessie's judgment. Jacob, I think you should go meet with Ximena. I don't think Stefan and Vladimir will be able to distinguish who is who among the packs in their wolf form, so they won't miss your absence. We'll try to create a distraction out here so you can free Nessie and get her to safety. Take her back to the plane. If the rest of us don't meet up with you thirty minutes after you get there, leave without us. I'll be keeping tabs on you," Edward instructed, then turned to me. "Bella.." he began.  
"No, Edward, don't even think about it," I cut him off. "I'm not going anywhere. I trust Jacob to get Nessie out and get her to safety. My place is here beside you, fighting with you."  
I knew that he still worried obsessively about my safety, though he no longer needed to. I was positive that Alice's vision also had a lot to do with his current anxiety. "I'll be fine," I assured him. He didn't look convinced, but he knew better than anyone how stubborn I could be, that there was no way he was going to change my mind once it was made up. And I did trust Jacob implicitly with my daughter's safety. I knew he would die to protect her, but there was no way I was going to let him go in there by himself.  
"Zafrina?" I questioned, turning to address the wild Amazon woman. She knew what I was asking, and nodded quickly in agreement.  
"I will go with Jacob and protect him. If anyone tries to stop us, I will blind them. Do not worry, young one." She placed a hand on my shoulder comfortingly.  
Seth trotted over to us and nudged Jake's shoulder, whining softly.  
"Ok Seth, you can come too," Jake said. Seth woofed happily, and I had to smile. He was such a loyal friend. Senna and Kachiri walked over to link hands with Zafrina as Edward told Jacob where to find Ximena. "She'll be waiting for you about two miles into the trees to the west," he said, pointing them in the right direction.  
"I'll get her out Bells, I swear," Jacob whispered in my ear as I hugged him briefly. I nodded and they disappeared into the night, not seconds before we turned to see that the Romanians had finally decided to come out and confront us.  
There was a tall, black haired vampire with them, someone I'd never seen before.  
"Joham," Edward whispered fiercely. "His daughters were the ones that took Nessie."  
I looked Joham directly in the eyes and snarled viciously. He only smiled in response, which angered me even more. I was going to enjoy ripping him apart.  
Stefan stepped forward with a wicked smirk, so confident that he had the upper hand. "Greetings, Carlisle," he said in his raspy voice. "We were beginning to think you would never arrive."  
Vladimir chuckled darkly, and I envisioned sinking my razor sharp teeth into his neck.  
Carlisle moved in front of Edward and me to address the Romanians. "Stefan, Vladimir," he nodded at them. "We're simply going to forgo the formalities and request that you release my granddaughter."  
The fiendish trio burst into laughter at hearing this. I let out a furious, piercing shriek and Edward had to work hard to restrain me. I heard Rosalie, Tanya, and Kate snarl ferociously in unison, and there were angry rumblings from the rest of my family and friends as well. There was nothing stopping us from tearing these three to shreds. There was no way they could stand against our group.  
As if in response to this thought, the three vile men before us were joined by a much larger horde of vampires. A tiny, dark haired woman seemed to be the leader of this group.  
I heard Jasper's sharp intake of breath and glanced briefly at him as he gasped in shock, "Maria?"  
"Hello, Jasper. It has been well over a century since I last saw you. You look well," she purred in her thick, Hispanic accent. I noted the way her ruby eyes flashed as she took in the sight of Alice's small hand in Jasper's. Jasper immediately moved in front of Alice in a protective crouch. Maria threw back her head and laughed, the musical tinkling sound like that of a happy, carefree child. Behind her was a mass of what were obviously newborns, mixed with a few older vampires, none of which I recognized. I guessed that these were all that remained of the southern covens that had once battled over territory in Texas and Mexico, the covens who had been almost entirely obliterated by the Volturi. Seeing them made everything clear to me in an instant. This group of vampires had all been wronged by the Volturi at some point in their existence, and they were now banding together to seek their revenge. Kidnapping my daughter was an obvious attempt to coerce us into joining them in their mission. Edward nodded grimly, confirming my thoughts.  
Stefan and Vladimir proceeded to tell us what we had just figured out, seeming pleased at having been able to manipulate us and take Renesmee right from under our noses.  
"I'm afraid that won't be possible, Carlisle," Vladimir said in response to Carlisle's demand.  
"We have put forth much effort and gone to great lengths to acquire your Renesmee for a most worthy cause," Stefan chuckled. "It took time and a great deal of patience on our part to have your _granddaughter_ followed, to learn everything we could about her, and to set up her "class trip" to Spain." Stefan noted the surprised look on my face at this revelation and grinned widely at me. "So you see, we could not possibly release her now, as it would foil our plans."  
"We are already wise to your _plans_," Edward hissed. "Did you think we wouldn't figure it out? You're trying to use Renesmee to make us aid you in bringing down the Volturi. Well, it won't work Stefan. We have no wish to become entangled in your quarrel with the Volturi."  
"I beg to differ, young one. We will not hesitate to slaughter your offspring should you refuse to ally yourselves with us," Vladimir snarled.  
A red haze passed across my vision, an unadulterated rage propelling me forward as our entire side burst into furious, savage growls. Edward couldn't hold me back this time, and I sensed that he didn't want to. I only stopped as Carlisle's shout of "NO!" pierced the air. I'd never heard him shout before, and I halted in my crouch just before I leaped, completely surprised. Working to contain himself, Carlisle took several deep breaths and then said in a lower tone, "No. We mustn't do this. We did not come here to fight with you, or the Volturi. Surely you can find some compassion within yourselves to end this insanity now. Give Renesmee back to us," he commanded.  
"You are such a fool, Carlisle," Stefan spat in disgust. "You had the perfect opportunity to destroy the Volturi within your grasp years ago, yet you chose to waste it. And for what?" he demanded. "Do you believe that the Italian scum would have afforded you the same mercy? We have grown weary of their false sainthood, their hypocritical rule, and we will stand for it no longer!" His voice had grown in strength and volume as he spoke, the vehemence in his words sending his allies into a frenzied uproar. This altercation was quickly coming to a head, both sides seething, eager to begin the battle, the bloodlust a palpable entity hanging over us all. Then, just as quickly as their frenzy had begun, the older vampires on the opposing side became instantly calm at a wave of Vladimir's hand. I saw Stefan nod toward a coldly beautiful woman to his immediate right, and she turned toward the newborns behind them, staring intently at them for a moment. They too became placid at her stare, seeming almost zombie like in their compliance. I wondered for a split second why that should be, but Edward answered my question before I had the chance to voice it.  
"Her name is Alejandra," he mumbled. "She is one of Joham's daughters. She and her sister, Yara, were the ones that took Nessie from the plane. Yara is the one who erased the memories of everyone on the plane, while Alejandra ordered Nessie to follow her. She has the power to control minds." I didn't understand why his voice shook, nor could I comprehend the look of fear in his eyes. He glanced swiftly in Alice's direction, as if searching for some affirmation. She frowned, slightly puzzled, and only shrugged her tiny shoulders.  
I was distracted momentarily from pondering over this exchange as I saw from the corner of my eye yet another vampire join their group, a man that looked vaguely familiar to me…  
"Kade!" I nearly shouted, completely taken aback. His head snapped up and his body straightened from where he'd bent down to whisper something to Stefan. His red eyes locked with mine and he smirked.  
"No, I'm sorry, you have the wrong man," he sneered. "You obviously have me confused with my brother."_  
Brother_? I thought, confused.  
Joham strode over to stand beside the man, placing an arm around his shoulders in a companionable gesture. "Allow me to introduce my son, Damien," he announced proudly. "Damien is Kade's twin. A very interesting phenomenon, indeed. I was unaware that their mother carried _two_ infants, until I returned to collect my progeny." The way he spoke about the human woman he'd taken advantage of made me ill; he acted as if she'd been completely disposable, as if she had merely been providing a service to him, while he had most likely made this woman believe he was in love with her.  
"I realized at once that they were very different, though they look exactly alike," Joham continued, like he was a science professor lecturing to his class. "Damien was born with all of the characteristics of a vampire, while Kade is almost entirely human, having only a few vampiric qualities that are mostly undetectable. His skin is as hard as a vampire's, and he is faster and stronger than the average human. Yet, he has no thirst for blood whatsoever, and most likely will only live for an average human lifespan." He waved his hand dismissively, unconcerned about the possibility of his son's imminent death. It was plain that he held Damien in higher regard than Kade. Every time he said the word "human", he frowned slightly with distaste; it was glaringly evident that he looked down upon all humans as inferior. "Not that it matters very much. He failed miserably at the only task I ever set before him. I had to send my daughters in to finish what he could not. On that note, perhaps I should take a moment to introduce them as well. Alejandra, Yara." He beckoned the two dark haired, dark skinned women that had taken Nessie forward, and they obediently came to stand on his other side. "Alejandra," Joham murmured, stroking her hair lovingly. "Why don't you give our friends a demonstration of what it is you can do."  
"Yes, father," she replied eagerly.  
"NO!" Edward shouted, and to my astonishment, he began to move quickly away from me as Joham stabbed a finger in his direction.  
Alejandra smiled at Edward vindictively, turning her chilling gaze upon him.  
He'd only gone twenty feet away from me when he whirled around to stare at me with utter horror in his eyes. He became as still as a statue, frozen in place for a moment. Then, almost mechanically, he slowly turned to face Alejandra. A fraction of a second later, a vicious snarl erupted from Edward's chest, shattering the puzzled silence that had befallen us. Murmurs of confusion broke out all through our group. When Edward turned back to me, he was a complete stranger. I did not recognize him. This was not my Edward. This was not the man that I desperately loved, the man I would gladly give my life for. His was the face of a terrifying monster, contorted with rage. He'd never looked at me that way before, not once in all the time I'd known him, even when we'd first met and the pull of my human blood had been too much for him. His entire body trembled with pent-up violence.  
I stared at him, stunned and paralyzed with fear, bewildered at the change in him.  
Before I could utter one word, before anyone had time to react, Alejandra shrieked "Now!"  
And Edward lunged for my throat.


	30. Chapter 29

**Chapter 29**

Jacob

I caught the scent of the half vampire woman we were supposed to meet up with about a mile into the forest. Her smell was not entirely unpleasant, sort of like cinnamon mixed with honey, with only a hint of the sickly sweet vampire scent; it set off only a minimal burn in my nostrils. When I finally spotted her about thirty yards into the trees, she was standing very still, her hands clasped nervously in front of her. She saw me at about the same time, and took a hesitant step forward.

"Jacob?" She questioned in a small voice. Then she saw the others behind me, and stepped back, eyes widening in fear.

I slowed down to a fast walk, still not sure about this. I didn't trust any of these bloodsuckers, even if there happened to be a few that weren't really on board with the plan to take Nessie. The _only _reason I was going along with this at all was because I knew Nessie was very intelligent, and wouldn't put her trust in just anyone, no matter the situation. For Nessie to show Ximena the precious memories she had, I had no choice but to believe this woman had good intentions. That didn't mean I had to let my guard down, though.

"Yes," I answered her. I wasn't surprised that she recognized me. Nessie must have shown her some memories of me too.

"I'm Ximena. I will take you to Renesmee at the first opportunity I see. I want to wait until my father and the others are sufficiently distracted. We can't stay out here long, though. I'm supposed to be with Renesmee right now, guarding her. If someone should come to check on us, and not find me there…."

I nodded in understanding. She didn't need to finish saying out loud what she was thinking. I could pretty much guess what would happen to her if those evil leeches found out she was helping us. I quickly introduced the others with me, and they all exchanged nods and murmured greetings. After I introduced Zafrina, she approached Ximena and said, "There will be no need for a distraction, child. I have the power to blind anyone who should intercept us. That is why I came with Jacob."

When Ximena shook her head in confusion, Zafrina gave her a demonstration of her gift. Ximena gasped in shock, and I knew that she could no longer see us in front of her, or anything else for that matter. She shook a little when Zafrina gave her sight back to her, and her face was filled with wonder.

"A very powerful and useful gift indeed," she whispered. Then, she beckoned us to follow her deeper into the trees, and we sprinted together in a wide arc that brought us closer to the rear of the monastery while giving a wide berth to the gathering of vampires in the front of the ancient building. We stopped in a thick copse of elm trees, trying to quiet our breathing and listen to what was going on with the confrontation. While we waited, I grew more impatient with every beat of my heart. I was so close now, so close to seeing Nessie again. I couldn't wait to have her back in my arms…My head started to pound with the stress and excitement of the situation, and I felt like I'd explode if we didn't make a move soon. Searching for a distraction, I remembered that Ximena had said something about her _father…_

"So tell me, who's your dad?" I whispered to her, not really caring, but just trying to find something to talk about before I went crazy.

"My father is Joham," she said, and I thought I picked up a small bit of shame in her tone.

_Well, good_, I thought a little viciously. She should be ashamed if that psycho was her father. I remembered Joham being briefly discussed at the almost battle with the Volturi when they'd come to destroy Nessie. From what I'd picked up, the guy sounded as crazy as a loon. It didn't surprise me at all that he was in on this. Suddenly, another thought hit me.

"So that means that Nahuel is your brother," I murmured. I must have said his name with a trace of contempt, because when Ximena answered me, her eyes flashed in defiance.

"Yes, he is my brother, and he is a good man. Which reminds me, we're going to need to break him out of his cell after we free Renesmee."

"Wait, you're telling me that your brother is a prisoner here too?" I asked, utterly shocked. What the hell was he doing here?

"Yes, and I don't have time to explain everything to you right now. We need to stay focused, get to Renesmee, then get to my brother," she answered, a little vehemently.

Well, we'd see about that. I wasn't concerned with Nahuel at this point. Nessie was all I cared about. Once I had her back with me again, safe and out of danger, nothing else would matter to me. Ximena could do whatever she liked about Nahuel. If their father was the one behind this crazy plot, then how innocent could they be?

My thoughts were interrupted as Ximena tugged at my arm and led us to a set of wooden doors, partially hidden behind some mulberry bushes. The doors looked like the ones that you saw on farms, the kind that led to storm shelters. They lay almost flush with the ground, slightly elevated, and opened up and out. We went through them and down a flight of rotted wooden stairs, into a dark, damp tunnel that was lit every twenty feet by gas lanterns. The sound of constantly dripping water surrounded us as we crept silently through the maze-like twists and turns of the tunnel toward Nessie's cell. Ximena led us to a wooden door with a thick steel band around the middle, and she pulled a key from her pants pocket to unlock the bolt. My heart sped in my chest as I caught Nessie's familiar scent wafting gently on the dank current of air. She was there, just on the other side of this door. It seemed like years had passed since I had last seen her. Adrenaline filled my body in a rush, the anticipation of seeing her again sweet on my tongue. While Ximena fumbled with the lock, I peeked through one of the knotholes in the door. I could see Nessie lying on the stone floor, curled up into a ball, arms around her knees. It looked like she was sleeping. The door finally swung open, and I was at her side in an instant. I was confused at first by what I saw, not quite able to make my mind comprehend the sight in front of me. Nessie's eyes were closed, but her face didn't look right…there was something off about the color of her skin. My eyes traveled down the length of her body to note her torn clothes and the bruised areas around her wrists. She'd been chained up, most likely with the manacles lying on the floor next to her, but was not restrained now. Odd. Why would the leeches that had taken her leave her unchained now? The smell hit me in the moment before my mind finally registered what my eyes had been trying not to see. The smell was Nessie's blood. Her face was covered in it, scarlet rivulets running down her cheeks and pooling in the corners of her mouth, and dripping down her chin. Her shredded clothes were soaked with blood. As I looked down at her crumpled form, I was frozen for an instant by utter fear, until a slow rage began to take it's place, burning through me and propelling me into action. I knelt by her side and gently shook her shoulder, afraid to move her the slightest bit, but desperate for a response. There was none. Ximena gasped and Zafrina crouched down on the other side of Nessie, feeling along the side of her neck for a pulse.

The strained look on her face eased a little as she said, "She is alive, but unconscious. She has suffered a terrible beating."

I glared up at Ximena, who stood still as a statue, hands pressed over her mouth in horror.

"Damien," she whispered. "He must have come back after I left to meet with you."

"Who's Damien?" I growled.

"One of my brothers. He ordered me to stay with Renesmee so he could join our father. He must have come to check on us, and when he didn't find me here….oh, this is all my fault!" Ximena moaned. She began wringing her hands and pacing back and forth. Seth whined at me and dipped his head.

"Her breathing is very shallow, and she is losing a lot of blood, Jacob," Zafrina stated gravely. I whipped my head around to face her. A new worry was added to my already out of control fear: would the amount of blood be too much for Zafrina and her sisters to bear?

Zafrina smiled crookedly as if she had deciphered my thoughts by the anxious expression on my face.

"Have no fear, Jacob. I am well able to control my bloodlust. My concern is for Nessie's well-being at the moment. She needs medical attention right away."

A small moan escaped Nessie's lips, and I leaned as close to her as I could. She was trying to speak.

"Shhh, sweetheart, don't talk. Just be still and try to rest," I whispered in her ear.

"…Jake…is it….really you?" she croaked, her voice so small I could barely make out the words.

"Yes, honey, it's me. I'm here now. I'm going to take you out of here as soon as I can."

"Oh….Jake….so…..happy…."

She was struggling to open her eyes and lift her head, but I gently pushed her back down. I didn't even realize I'd been crying until a few of my tears dripped from my chin onto Nessie's face, mingling with the trails of her blood.

"It's ok, Nessie. You don't have to be afraid anymore. I'm here, I'm here," I crooned to her.

"…love you….Jake," she whispered. Her body sagged as she stopped struggling to move. She didn't speak again, and she was so still…an icy fear crept down my spine, it's frigid fingers threatening to expand around to my lungs and suffocate me.

"Nessie?" I patted her cheek a little roughly, not wanting to shake her up too much.

"She is unconscious, Jacob," Zafrina said in a low voice.

"We have to get Carlisle, _now. _We need to get him in here. Nessie shouldn't be moved. It looks like she's suffered a head wound," I spoke rapidly, in clipped sentences, my fear, anxiety, and frustration threatening to overtake me. I wanted to pull Nessie into my arms and never let her go, but I was afraid to touch her too much for fear of hurting her worse.

"I'm going to phase and let Sam know that we need to get Carlisle in here," I decided.

"But Jacob, how will he get past my father and the others?" Ximena asked, nervously rubbing her hands together.

"You let me worry about that," I said determinedly. "If I have to go out there and get him myself, then that's what I'll do. And God help anyone who gets in my way," I growled, as I stepped out into the hall.


	31. Chapter 30

Chapter 30

Bella

I remained frozen in place as Edward flew through the air straight at me, growling and snarling ferociously. My instincts were screaming at me to flee, but I couldn't run from him. I was still in shock that he was attacking me, though I knew that he was not in control of himself. I knew that I couldn't fight him off either. Edward was an excellent fighter, and much stronger than me. Even if my strength matched his, I would never be able to bring myself to hurt him, no matter that he was now intent on tearing me apart. As this internal dilemma raged on inside of me, I saw from my peripheral vision several things happening at once: Rosalie gave out a piercing shriek as she prepared to spring. I saw at once that she was not planning to try to stop Edward; she was going to go for the source of the chaos, the woman who had planted the command to attack me in Edward's head: Alejandra. Carlisle and Esme immediately moved to restrain her, grabbing her arms and yanking her back.

From the opposite direction, I saw Jasper take a step toward Edward and me, then pausing as his head whipped back and forth between Maria and us. I knew he wanted to stop Edward, but was afraid to leave Alice unprotected. Alice's eyes widened in fear, but there was a trace of understanding there as well. This must have been the vision she'd seen, the reason why she and Edward had wanted me to stay behind. She gave Jasper a push in our direction, but he didn't budge.

Emmett had immediately run in our direction the moment Edward started growling at me, and had almost caught Edward right before he lunged, but wasn't fast enough. He leapt into the air and reached out with one of his massive arms, his fingertips just barely brushing the heel of Edward's shoe. Emmett came crashing to the earth, but was on his feet in an instant, using his colossal strength to regroup and thrust himself into the air again, this time managing to grab Edward's ankle right as he crashed into me. I was knocked off of my feet, the breath whooshing from my lungs as I hit the ground. Emmett slammed into Edward, taking a great deal of the impact off of me, and they both rolled several yards away, limbs entangled and snapping at one another. Only a second had passed since Edward had lunged at me, and it was over just as quickly. Edward suddenly stopped fighting with Emmett, and Emmett quickly got to his feet, holding out a hand to yank Edward up. Edward had a dazed look on his face, and shook himself as if he were trying to wake up from a nightmare. I rose to my feet and ran to his side. He looked into my eyes with utter horror, and pulled me into his embrace, holding me tightly and whispering to me that he was sorry, so sorry, that he would never intentionally hurt me.

"I know, Edward," I whispered back. "I know that wasn't you just now. You weren't in control of yourself."

"Please, please forgive me, love," he said in a broken voice.

"There's nothing to forgive. Now let's end this so we can get our daughter back," I said fiercely, grasping his hand and leading him back to where we had stood before. He nodded and followed me, but looked completely miserable. I knew he'd never forgive himself for this. It angered me immensely that he'd been put into that position. My anger blossomed as I saw Stefan rubbing his hands together excitedly, and heard Vladimir chuckling darkly.

"You see, Carlisle, we firmly believe that we will have no problems taking down the Volturi, what with the miraculous abilities we have on our side," Stefan smiled wickedly, continuing their earlier conversation as if nothing had happened to interrupt it. "If your talented family were to join us, our success would be guaranteed."

"Surely you must be as weary of the Volturi as we are," Vladimir added.

Carlisle walked over to Edward's side and placed a hand on his shoulder. "As my son said before, we have no wish to fight with you or the Volturi. We wish to be gone from this place, and to take Renesmee with us." He spoke in a calm, assured tone, but I could tell that he, as well as the rest of our group, was shaken at what they'd just witnessed. None of us had ever encountered a vampire with mind controlling abilities such as Alejandra possessed. She could turn any one of us against each other at any time, if she so desired. My shield was ineffective against her, because her gift was a physically manifested one. My shield would only protect us from purely mental attacks.

Edward stalked forward a few feet with his hands balled into fists at his sides.

"Do you honestly think we would willingly help you after what you just did to my wife!" he demanded in a shout.

"Of course not, young Edward," Stefan rasped. "We were merely demonstrating our advantages. We _expect_ you to help us in order to regain your daughter," he sneered. Edward snarled back at him and I hurried to his side to prevent him from attacking the vile Romanian. We couldn't move against them until we were sure Jacob had found Nessie. Just as I reached him, Sam ran up behind us and nudged Edward's shoulder with his nose. Edward turned to face him, and the two of them stared intently at one another as Sam shared his thoughts. Edward's face blanched, and I grasped his arm frantically. Jacob was obviously relaying some piece of news to us through Sam. "What is it Edward?" I whispered.

"Jacob says that he's found Nessie, but she's hurt badly and needs Carlisle," Edward spoke rapidly. My heart felt like lead in my chest. What had happened to my daughter? Someone must have hurt her. I spun to face my enemies, my rage and worry for my daughter fueling me as I prepared myself to rip them to shreds.


	32. Chapter 31

**Chapter 31**

Jacob

I rushed back to Nessie's side as soon as I'd sent word to Sam that we needed Carlisle. She was still unconscious, mumbling words I couldn't make out, tossing and turning restlessly, and whimpering as the movements caused her pain. Each pained cry sent daggers through my heart. I couldn't bear to see her like this, especially while feeling so helpless. I took her hand and gently stroked her forehead, and murmured softly in her ear.

"It's going to be okay, Nessie. I'm here. Shhhh, try to rest. Carlisle will be here any minute."

At least, I hoped he would. I was growing more worried and anxious with each passing second. I knew only minutes had passed since I'd phased and sent word to Sam, but it felt like hours. And Nessie didn't have hours. She was still bleeding heavily from her head wound, which Zafrina was making every effort to stanch, while I frantically searched for any other wounds. There was just so much blood….

I couldn't take it.

"That's it. Nessie can't wait any longer. I'm going to get Carlisle."

Zafrina nodded, but I saw the worry that flashed in her eyes, and the doubt. She didn't think I'd be able to get to Carlisle fast enough to save Nessie's life. I wasn't entirely sure I could either, but I was willing to die trying. I couldn't just sit here and do nothing while the life slowly drained out of the woman I loved. Seth nudged me with his giant nose, and I beckoned him to follow me.

"I'm gonna need your help, Seth. I don't know what's going on out there, or what will happen when we try to get to Carlisle…it may not end well," I said softly. "But I've got to try."

Seth dipped his head and stared at me with fierce determination. He understood what I was saying, and was willing to fight alongside me, to the death if necessary. I started to get up when I felt Nessie's hand tighten around mine. It gave me a spark of hope that she still had so much strength in her.

"Jake," she whispered. "Please…don't leave…"

"I don't want to honey, but I have to. You need Carlisle." I kissed her forehead softly, gave her hand a gentle squeeze, and said, "Don't worry, sweetheart, you're going to be fine. I'll be back soon." The words were bitter on my tongue; they felt like a lie. And since I never wanted to lie to the one person who meant more to me than anything in the universe, I gave her a piece of truth. The only truth that mattered. " I love you, Nessie. More than I ever thought I could love anyone. You're like the air to me, my light, my peace, my happiness. Never forget that."

I rose quickly and was at the door in two giant steps. Nessie's pleading voice made me stop, pausing with my hand on the doorknob.

"..jake…"

I took a deep breath, squared my shoulders, and stepped out into the hall with Seth in tow.

I didn't look back.


	33. Chapter 32

Chapter 32

Bella

I'd worried countless times over the past few days about Nessie's condition, agonized over what might be happening to her, wondering endlessly if she was suffering, if she was being mistreated. Now that I knew for certain that she was hurt, hurt badly enough to need a doctor, all of my energy was now channelled into destroying those that had wrought such havoc on our lives. I would make them pay for hurting my daughter. Edward's furious growls echoed my own, and were soon magnified by those of our family and friends as Jacob's message was passed along through our group. Everyone except for Carlisle. Instead of rage, his face was filled with anxiety, and he quickly stepped in front of Edward and me, holding his hand out to us in a halting gesture. Our growing and snarling ceased as he spoke to the Romanians.

"Stefan, Vladimir. We have just received word that my grand-daughter is in need of medical attention. I ask that you please allow me to go inside so I can tend to her." Carlisle's infinite patience and compassion never ceased to amaze me. He was the only thing stopping this situation from exploding into violence right now.

Stefan and Vladimir wore identical looks of puzzlement that instantly turned to anger. They glanced at each other, then at Joham, who simply shrugged his shoulders. Their eyes finally fell on Joham's son, Damien. He smiled wickedly, with absolutely no apology, and merely said, "I went to check on the prisoner just before I joined you. I have suspected for some time that our Ximena has not been completely loyal to us, nor has she been telling us the entire truth of her feelings about our mission. I was right. She was supposed to be guarding the prisoner, as you know, but was not there when I arrived. I searched for her, but could not find her. So I went back to the prisoner's cell…" his grin widened, and he shrugged as if what he had done was to be expected. Stefan was clearly angry, but whether at Damien's actions or Ximena's betrayal, I could not guess. And I didn't care. All the rage, worry, and fear I'd felt since Nessie had first disappeared telescoped and focused on the evil vampire that had had the audacity to lay his hands on my daughter. In the same instant that I prepared to lunge for the vile creature that had hurt my child, and rip his worthless head from his body, Stefan and Vladimir each took a step toward him, but stepped back again just as quickly. Their heads whirled toward the double wooden doors that stood open behind them, alerted by some sound that reached me a fraction of a second later: a low, fierce growl that rapidly intensified in volume and rage, coming closer each second, louder and louder until it drowned everything else out. A massive, furry shape filled the entrance to the monastery, pausing for the length of one heartbeat. Then, Jacob fully emerged, his razor sharp teeth glinting in the moonlight, eyes crazed, as he leapt straight at Damien.


	34. Chapter 33

Chapter 33

Jacob

I hesitated for the barest fraction of a second in the doorway that led outside. I waited for Ximena, who had followed Seth and I, to point out the sadistic leech that had hurt my beloved Nessie. I followed her gaze to the tall, sandy haired vampire that strangely, I vaguely recognized. As soon as I heard her whisper, "That's Damien" I lunged for him. I let my wolf-self completely take over my mind. In that moment, I was nothing but a hunter, and the vampire before me was my prey. The desire to destroy him burned steadily throughout my entire being, my rage like liquid fire rushing through my veins, serving to fuel my attack. I had the smug satisfaction of seeing his eyes widen in fear and confusion for a split second before I took him down. He was completely taken off guard; I was on him and tearing into his shoulder before he could do anything to defend himself. The metallic screeching pierced the air as I tore one of his arms from his body. Damien roared, his face filling with rage as he struck back, slamming his other arm against my head, splitting the skin of my brow. The blood ran down into my eye, blinding me momentarily, and my ears rang. I shook my head, trying to clear it and glanced around briefly. I became dimly aware of the fighting that had broken out all around me through my fog of pain, the snarling and growling and ripping sounds that filled the night. The noise was deafening. My attack on Damien had started a chain reaction, and all hell had broken loose. Beneath me, Damien was struggling to get up, so I reared back on my hind legs and slammed my front paws into his chest, pinning him firmly to the ground. His face was only inches from my sharp teeth. My muzzle wrinkled back as I growled ferociously, baring my canines at him, just before I dipped my nose down to his neck. His rage turned to terror as my teeth clamped onto his cold, marble neck. I took just a moment to savor that fear, to taste it on my tongue. Then I ripped his head from his body with one sharp jerk, his screams abruptly cut off by another ear splitting metallic screech. His head rolled a few feet away, and I snatched it up by the hair with my teeth, and flung it as far away as I could. Then I went back and tore one of his legs off for good measure. After I'd flung Damien's leg into the trees, I saw an enraged newborn from the corner of my eye, heading straight toward me. I was just about ready to attack him when Seth jumped in front of me and began fighting with him. Sam leapt to Seth's side to help him, so I took that opportunity to try and find Edward. The vampires were all moving so fast, they were a blur to me, but I thought I caught a glimpse of Bella's mahogany hair as she fought with an unfamiliar female vampire. Edward couldn't be far. I finally spotted him several feet away, locked in battle with the tall, black haired leech that had stood next to Damien.

_EDWARD! _I shouted in my head. _Where's Carlisle? _

Edward's eyes met mine for a split second, then he nodded briefly to the west, where I saw a flash of Carlisle's blonde hair right in the middle of a throng of battling vampires. Then, several things happened at once: the black haired vampire took advantage of Edward's distraction; before Edward could pick up on his thoughts, he landed a kick to his chest, sending Edward sailing a few yards backward until he slammed into a tree. The trunk of the tree split with a sharp crack, and it wobbled for just a moment; before it came crashing down to the ground right in front of Edward, I crouched back and launched myself into the air, aiming straight for the bloodsucker. When I was a breath away from my target, he reached back without turning around and struck my shoulder with his rock hard fist. I yelped and hit the ground, but was instantly on my feet again. He turned and laughed, a deep, rumbling mocking sound that lit my insides on fire again. I gathered all my rage and strength, turning them into a tight ball in the pit of my stomach, and leapt for him. I put my head down and drove it into him, managing to knock him back a few feet, but not before he wrapped his arms around my head in a vice grip and dragged me with him. I whipped my head back and forth violently in an attempt to free myself. It did no good at all. Keeping me in a headlock with one arm, the leech began pounding my right side relentlessly with his other fist, blow after blow until I heard my bones snapping. The pain was intense, but I refused to cave in. Just when I didn't think I could take it anymore, an even stronger impact hit us both from the left. We fell to the ground in a tangle of limbs, and I felt something inside of me give. Edward snarled ferociously as he pummeled the black haired bloodsucker with his fists, giving him no choice but to let go of me so he could raise his arms to protect himself. I struggled to stand, limping slightly from the stabbing pain, and made my way over to where Carlisle stood fighting with some older vampires, Jasper and Emmett on either side of him. I howled in agony, and Carlisle whipped his head around in my direction. I pointed my nose toward the monastery, trying to communicate to him that he should follow me. Emmett caught the vampire in front of Carlisle across the chest with his massive arm, knocking him back and allowing Carlisle to slip under and around him to get to me. He ran swiftly in my direction, pausing only long enough to grab Esme's arm. The three of us flew through the throng, ducking and running toward the double doors. Ximena still waited inside the dark hallway, her face pale but resolved. She didn't say anything as she led us toward the stairs that led down to where Nessie waited. I nudged Carlisle's shoulder and turned my head back toward the entrance. He nodded and said, "Do what you have to do, Jacob. I will attend to Nessie. Don't worry about her." He put his hand on my shoulder and I whined softly. "Jacob, are you hurt?" The worry and concern on his face made me pause for a moment, but Nessie was more important than me, and needed his help more than I did. I shook my head once, then turned and ran back outside to rejoin the battle.


	35. Chapter 34

**Chapter 34**

Bella

I slunk into my fighting crouch as Jacob flew through the air. I knew his attack was going to make this situation turn volatile very quickly. A hiss escaped my lips as my eyes roamed over the line of vampires across from us, searching for a target; they stood frozen in shock at the sight of Jacob's huge mass coming straight for them. As soon as he crashed into Damien, the world seemed to explode in violence. Edward had taken off like a shot as soon as Jacob had emerged, apparently having read Joham's thoughts, thoughts which obviously centered around protecting his son from Jacob. Edward reached him in the same instant Jacob took Damien down, locking his arms around Joham's chest to restrain him. Joham broke free of Edward, spun around, and they began to fight. Emmett ran forward, crouched down low. Snarling furiously, but with a wide grin spreading across his face, he beckoned one of the larger, older vampires forward, challenging him to fight. They were soon locked in their own brawl, as was Jasper. Maria had leapt straight for Alice the second the fighting commenced. Of course, Alice had seen her intentions and was ready for her, but Jasper stepped in front of her protectively. I knew he would do everything in his power to keep her from fighting. Maria laughed wickedly, and swung at Jasper, her hands hooked into claws, swiping at him like an angry cougar. Jasper was very quick though, and managed to dodge her blows, all the while remaining in front of Alice. Only a small portion of a second had passed while all of this occurred, and then I was facing my own adversary. An adult vampire, a woman I didn't recognize, was crouched a foot away from me, growling fiercely. She took a swipe at me, and I ducked, spinning to the left. I hooked my right foot behind her knee, and knocked her to the ground. I was on her instantly, biting and tearing at her marble flesh. She shrieked, a furious, agonized sound, and brought her fist up, punching me on the right side of my face. The force of the blow knocked me back and I flipped off of her, rolled backward, then landed on my feet. She was on her feet in the same instant, and came at me before I had time to regroup. She managed to bite my arm, and I hissed as the venom stung me. I lifted my arm and backhanded her, knocking her down again. Once more, she was on her feet before I could blink. She was a skilled fighter, more skilled than I, but I had finally persuaded Edward to teach me more battle techniques over the years, so I was holding my own. I saw Rosalie and Tanya from the corner of my eye, fighting with a couple more of the adult vampires from the southern covens. Most of the wolves were taking down the newborns one by one, with the exception of Sam and Seth. They were working together to bring down an adult vampire, after they'd destroyed a newborn that had been about to attack Jake. I glanced swiftly toward the entrance of the monastery in time to see Jacob leading Carlisle and Esme inside, presumably to where Nessie was being kept. I felt a vast sense of relief. I knew that Jacob and Carlisle would take care of her.

I took another swipe at the woman intent on killing me, clawing the side of her face. She shrieked again, and danced back from me, pausing for a second to plan her next move. I glanced around again, taking in the mayhem all around me, and noticed for the first time that Stefan and Vladimir were nowhere to be seen…

The woman came at me again, and landed a couple of blows, the last of which knocked me flat on my back. She jumped on top of me, and bent her head toward my neck, her mouth opening impossibly wide, razor teeth bared. She was going for the kill. I raised my arms to fend her off, but then, when her teeth were only a centimeter away from my skin, she was gone. I blinked in confusion and quickly got to my feet. Rose was standing there beside me, snarling at the woman she'd shoved off of me. The woman growled back, then stopped abruptly. She was looking behind us, back toward the fray, and her face went paler with shock and disbelief. I chanced a look behind me and saw that our enemies' numbers had been greatly decimated. The few remaining vampires from their side were either surrendering, or running off into the woods. When I looked back, my adversary was gone as well. I took a deep breath and turned to Rose.

"Thanks," I said. She shrugged and tossed back her beautiful golden hair.

Then she grinned at me. "What are sisters for?"

We hugged briefly, then I made my way over to Edward. He was standing victoriously over Joham's dismembered corpse. The pieces of his body were still twitching spasmodically. I helped Edward gather them up, along with pieces of other destroyed vampires. When we were done, the pile was enormous. Alice strode over, and pulled a book of matches from her back pocket.

"Need these?" She started to hand them over to Edward, but he shook his head.

"You do it. Bella and I need to get to Nessie. You and Jasper will take care of this, won't you?"

"Of course," she mumbled. She struck one of the matches, and touched it briefly to the pile. Instantly, the thick, purple smoke rose high into the air, blotting out the starry sky. The wolves slunk back, noses to the ground, whining softly. The smell must really be getting to them. Some of them were licking their wounds, but none of them appeared to be seriously hurt. Edward and I grasped hands and headed for the monastery. Ximena came out to meet us, with Nahuel limping along behind her. He looked exhausted, with bruises covering almost every inch of his exposed skin.

"Edward, Bella," he said, nodding his head. "I want to apologize to you. I tried to get Nessie away from here, but I was unsuccessful. We were caught, and-"

"There's nothing to apologize for," Edward said, holding up his hand, palm out. "We can talk later. We want to go see Nessie and make sure she is alright."

"I understand. You've been away from her for too long. Forgive me," Nahuel murmured, moving aside to let us pass.

"How is she, Ximena?" I whispered, almost dreading her answer.

She frowned, looking toward the dark building. "Not good. Carlisle has managed to stop the bleeding, but she is still unconscious. That's all I know," she shrugged in an apologetic manner. Edward wrapped an arm around my shoulders, squeezing me gently, and smiled reassuringly.

"She'll be fine, love, I just know it." But I could see the lingering worry in his eyes. I nodded and we sprinted together toward the double doors. Just before we reached them, a frightening, agonized howl sliced the air. I stopped dead in my tracks. A feeling of dread began in the pit of my stomach, turning it into a tight knot.

It was Jacob.


	36. Chapter 35

**Chapter 35**

Nessie

I was vaguely aware of a cool hand stroking my forehead, a soft voice humming close to my ear. I couldn't see anything in the pitch darkness, and was a little alarmed until I realized that my eyes were closed. I wanted to laugh at my own silliness, but every part of me hurt too badly. I tried in vain to open my eyes, then quickly gave up as the effort exhausted me.

I was struggling to stay conscious, fighting the blackness that threatened to overtake me. Every few minutes I felt like I was here, and then not here. I kept slipping under and then resurfacing to the same comforting voice and touch. I knew I wouldn't be able to fight it much longer. I just felt so heavy, and all I wanted to do was sleep… but Jacob had been here! This realization shocked my system like a bolt of electricity, bringing me back from the brink. His voice, his smell, his touch, had been like sweet miracles, washing over me and lifting my spirit…and then he was gone. Why did he go away? A wrenching sadness brought stinging tears to my eyes. I remembered that I had been hurt, been in some sort of accident maybe, but I couldn't recall exactly what had happened to me. Maybe Jake had just gone to get help…

I must have slipped into the blackness again, because the next thing I heard was the golden tones of Carlisle's voice, soothing me, telling me over and over that I was going to be alright. I felt his fingertips gently probing my body, searching for broken bones and other injuries.

"…carlisle?…" my voice sounded foreign to me, so small and far away.

"…yes nessie…..I'm here…going to be alright…." his voice echoed down to me from a great distance. I tried to smile, then whimpered as a sharp pain flared in my head.

"….shhh, sweetheart…..don't…talk…" That was Esme. It was so good to hear her voice, that was so much like a lilting lullaby, a mother crooning to her child. How I wished I could open my eyes and see her face…

"….mom….dad?" I questioned. Knowing that Carlisle and Esme were beside me made me ache to see my parents again.

"They're coming, darling," Esme assured me. "Just try to relax and don't worry about anything."

"…kay…" I whispered. I felt a slow, sinking sensation throughout my body, and little by little, the world around me went away.


	37. Chapter 36

**Chapter 36**

Bella

"Edward," I gasped, clutching his arm frantically. "That was Jacob. What happened to him?"

Edward grasped my hand firmly, and his eyes became slightly unfocused and his body completely still as he concentrated on finding Jacob's thoughts.

Alarm rushed through me as he abruptly let go of my hand, crying out in pain and sinking to his knees. He was holding his chest tightly and struggling to breathe, which made absolutely no sense. He didn't need to breathe. That could only mean one thing. He was feeling Jacob's pain.

"Edward! What is it?"

At the sound of my desperate shriek, the others came running over to us and everything was confusion as they all talked at once, demanding to know what was wrong with Edward.

"It's…I'm okay. It's not me, it's Jacob. I can feel what he's feeling right now…he's in…extraordinary pain…" Edward gasped. He lowered his head and held it in both hands, and was silent for a few minutes, except for the sound of his harsh breathing. Everyone stood around, anxiously waiting to find out what had happened to Jacob.

Edward slowly got his feet, stumbling a little, his face paler than usual. He was still struggling to breathe normally. I was frightened and confused, needing to know if Jacob was going to be alright, but also wanting desperately to get to my daughter.

"Sam is with him," Edward finally said slowly, his voice barely louder than a whisper. "He and the other wolves are trying to help him. They're about three miles into the forest." He searched my face, clearly seeing the anxiety there, and his eyes bore into mine, trying to determine what it was I wanted him to do. He finally made the decision for me.

"Bella love, why don't you go to Renesmee and I'll go check on Jacob. I'll join you as soon as possible."

Relief flooded through me, along with a stab of guilt. I hated to send him off when we were so close to being reunited with our daughter, but I couldn't stand the thought of Jacob out there in pain, and possibly in grave danger.

"Edward, thank you. I know how much you want to get to Nessie, but you're the only person here besides Carlisle with any medical training…."

"Say no more, love. I won't be long." He kissed me briefly, then turned and sprinted into the trees. I quickly surveyed the scene around me before going into the monastery. Everyone had gone back to what they were doing, Alice and Jasper tending to the massive fire, while the others gathered various body parts and added them to the blaze. None of the enemy group was anywhere in sight. They had all either succumbed to the fight, or had disappeared. Something began to niggle at my mind, a vague gnawing that I couldn't quite put my finger on. Something that should be obvious. Something that I had noticed earlier during the fight, but was now slipping away from me like wisps of smoke on a light breeze….

I shook my head and tried to shrug off the nagging feeling. It would come to me later. I couldn't worry about it right now. I had to go see my daughter. Ximena, who still hovered over Nahuel, pointed the way down the ancient stone steps to the left of the huge double doors, and gave me the directions to the cell where Nessie had been held. Not that I needed it. I knew she was only trying to be helpful, but I was already catching a faint drift of my daughter's scent, wafting up to me from the black stairwell.

I gave her shoulder a light squeeze and started down the stairs.

Before I could take more than two steps, I ran into Carlisle. He was cradling Nessie in his arms, his face paler than usual, his black eyes tight with anxiety. Esme was right behind him, one hand on his shoulder, the other resting lightly against my daughter's cheek. My body staggered under the weight of the different emotions that coursed through me as I took in the sight of her. It had only been days since I'd seen her last, but it felt like years. Overwhelming elation at seeing her sweet face, stabbing fear over her condition, and raging fury at what had been done to her, at all she'd been put through, warred inside me until I thought I would burst. I reached out to touch her hair lightly, afraid to touch her anywhere else without knowing the extent of her injuries. She was obviously unconscious, head lolling across Carlisle's arm, arms resting limply across her chest. Her clothes were torn and bloodied, her skin too white and streaked with dirt and blood. Her breathing was ragged, and it frightened me. There was a look of unrest on her face, as if she were in the grip of some terrible nightmare. She moaned softly, her lips parting slightly, and I hurried to soother her.

"Shhh," I whispered in her ear. "It's alright now sweetheart. Momma's here." My voice broke on a tearless sob as I reverted back to what she used to call me when she was a baby.

She didn't respond to my voice, and I looked into Carlisle's face anxiously.

"Bella, I'm taking her out of here. I'm going to try to find a clinic or hospital somewhere nearby," he said quietly, then hesitated while he thought how to say what came next. "Nessie has lost an enormous amount of blood, and she has been unconscious far too long. I need to get her somewhere where I have access to the proper medical equipment. She's going to need a blood transfusion." His face was grim as held my gaze, willing me to understand the implications of what he was saying.

I took deep breath, nodded, and carefully ran my hand across Nessie's forehead. I gasped in shock at how cold she felt. Her skin normally felt blazing hot to me, but now it was almost as cold as Edward's skin had felt to me when I was human.

The fear spiked within me, and I knew that if human blood still ran through my veins, I'd be dizzy and nearly unconscious myself.

Nessie's life was hanging by a thread, balancing precariously on a narrow precipice.

We were running out of time.

Miraculously, Carlisle managed to find a small clinic only ten miles from the abandoned monastery. It was on the edge of a small village, and completely deserted at this hour of the morning. Dawn had not yet begun to paint the sky with it's soft array of pastel colors, for which I was grateful. I didn't want to have to think about the possibility of being discovered by the humans that ran this place. We needed privacy and time for what Carlisle was trying to accomplish. Of course, we also needed a donor. Neither I nor any of my family had blood to offer Nessie, although I would have gladly given every drop I had to save her life. Ximena and Nahuel, who was limping slightly but otherwise seemed none the worse for wear, had followed us to the clinic, as well as Jasper, Alice, Rose, and Emmett. The others had stayed behind to finish cleaning up the mess of the battle. They were going to meet back up with us at the plane after we had taken care of Nessie.

Everyone was fully aware of the dire situation that lay before us. We all knew that either Ximena or Nahuel was going to have to volunteer as a donor, as they were the only ones in our company that had any blood to offer. We discussed this idea both rapidly and briefly, while Carlisle searched the entire clinic for the necessary equipment.

"I would be honored to give my blood to Renesmee," Nahuel said, stepping forward and already rolling up the sleeve of his shirt. I barely registered his words, staring down at the narrow bed my daughter rested on, focusing through a haze of panic at the grayish hue of her skin, her ragged breathing, and the fact that she'd started to tremble violently. She was going into shock. I murmured soothingly to her in her ear, while Alice and Rosalie hovered over her, each of them patting her and stroking her lovingly.

"Wait a minute," Emmett said, in a harsh, low voice, placing one of his massive hands on Nahuel's chest, stopping him abruptly in mid-stride. "Dude, aren't you venomous? I don't think it's a good idea for Carlisle to put your blood in Nessie's body. We have no idea how she'd react to that."

His words cut through my panicky haze like a knife. I had completely forgotten that Nahuel was venomous. I shuddered slightly at the thought that I'd come so close to allowing him to donate his blood to Nessie.

Nahuel frowned, then nodded his head. "You're right. We don't know what kind of effect that would have on her. We shouldn't take that kind of risk." He bowed his head, but not before I saw the flare of disappointment in his eyes.

"Well," Ximena said shakily. "I guess that leaves me." She swallowed, an audible clicking noise coming from her throat. "I've never done this before, but I'm willing to do whatever it takes to help her." She walked over to stand beside Nessie, looking down at her with mixed emotions on her face. Fear, sympathy, anxiety. Carlisle came back into the room at that moment, holding several lengths of plastic tubing, some needles, and other medical paraphernalia that I couldn't immediately identify.

"Unfortunately, there is more for us to worry about than who will be Nessie's donor," he said, having heard our conversation. "Nessie's blood type is O negative, and that means that she can only accept blood from another type O. Do you happen to know what your blood type is?" He directed the question at Ximena.

She shook her head and said in a regretful tone, "No, I'm sorry, I don't know what it is. I've never felt the need to find out."

"Carlisle," I whispered. "She needs blood. She's going into shock, I think. What would happen if we took the chance of Ximena giving her blood, without her being a type O?"

"It could be very dangerous for Nessie," he answered quietly. "In her weakened condition, any adverse effects could possibly be accelerated. It's a strong possibility that she could….."

He trailed off, jaw clenched against some strong emotion. He didn't need to say any more than that, and I didn't respond. I knew what he was driving at. If Nessie's body had a bad reaction to Ximena's blood….she could possibly die.

"But haven't there been emergency cases in which doctors have done blood transfusions without knowing either parties' blood types?" Jasper inquired.

Carlisle hesitated a moment. "Yes," he admitted, "but do any of us want to take such a chance with Nessie's life?"

I looked around the room at the faces of my family. No, I could tell that none of us wanted to take such a risk. But Nessie needed blood desperately. She would die if she didn't get it. And she could possibly die if she had a bad reaction to Ximena's blood.

"Isn't there another option?" Rosalie snapped, glaring over her shoulder in Carlisle's direction.

"I could try to find a hospital, break in, and get some bags of O negative to bring back here. But I have no idea how long that would take. And we don't have much time…."

"Bella?" Carlisle turned to me and searched my face, trying to figure out what it was I wanted him to do. How I wished Edward were here with me. I didn't know if I could make this decision alone. But really, what other choice did I have? I couldn't just stand here while my daughter slipped away in front of me. Carlisle was right, we didn't have time to go out and hunt up the right type of blood. And Ximena was right here. I could feel the resolve hardening in me, and had just opened my mouth to tell him to go ahead and get Ximena ready, when a choked whisper came from the direction of the doorway.

"Doc, you don't need to go anywhere, or use Ximena's blood," the voice croaked.

I snapped my head around to see Jacob half slumped in the doorway, with Edward and Sam on either side of him, arms around him and supporting most of his weight. He looked horrible, bloodied, bruised, and broken, but he wore an expression of grim determination, a fierce half smile on his cracked lips.

"I have type O blood. Use me."

"Jacob!" I exclaimed, wanting to rush over to him to see if he was ok, but not willing to leave Nessie's side.

"I'm ok, Bells. Stop worrying about me," he whispered, reading my thoughts as usual.

"Jacob, I don't know if you're in any condition-"

"Look, Doc, we don't have time to debate. Nessie needs blood, I have the right type, and I'm standing here willing to give it. It doesn't matter what happens to me. I don't care. She needs my blood. She needs me."

The rush of relief and gratitude I felt was almost painful. Edward and Sam helped Jacob over to a leather chair, the kind that sat on wheels and could be adjusted to lay almost all the way back.

"Jacob, as a doctor, I feel it is my duty to inform you of the risks of being a blood donor. Even a healthy person can experience mild side effects, and with the way you look right now, and without me even knowing the extent of your injuries-"

"Save it Doc," Jake cut him off again, raising his right hand weakly, palm facing out. "I don't care about the risks. Nessie doesn't have time for this. 'Sides, this chair is really comfortable, and I could use a little…rest.. right now. I'm beat. No… pun intended." His words were halting, his voice beginning to falter. He tried to chuckle, but it came out sounding more like a choking noise. His breath hitched strangely, and he gasped, doubling over in his chair. He clutched weakly at his left side.

"Jacob, let Carlisle examine you. It won't take a minute," I pleaded with him, my eyes flashing to Nessie every half second. Edward had flown to her side as soon as Jacob was settled. His hand lay gently across her cheek, and he was murmuring to her in a low voice. He glanced at Carlisle, desperation burning in his eyes.

Carlisle caught his look and merely nodded, and got busy with the preparations. He rapidly worked through the tangle of plastic tubing and soon had Nessie and Jake hooked up to each other with a complicated system of needles, tubing, and surgical tape. Jake lay back and stared at Renesmee as if she were the only person in the world, worry and fear making his eyes glisten with wetness and his deep brow furrow. After a while though, his eyes drifted closed and he and Nessie both lay still, breathing steadily. I could see a perceptible difference in the color of her skin almost immediately, ash turning to rose, and her heart rate slowly evened out again, thrumming rapidly and steadily, which was normal for her. Relief flooded through me again. She was going to be alright. I was sure of it. And soon, she would be in my arms again, and her beautiful smile would be the most welcome sight in my world.

Carlisle informed us that it would take several hours for the process to be complete, and we talked quietly while we waited. Jasper hid by the front door to the clinic, waiting in the shadows, watching out for anybody that might come along. Thankfully, no one did. Carlisle had sent Alice out to find some food for Jacob and Nessie, for them to eat and try to regain some strength after the transfusion was complete. She was back in no time, carrying two white aromatic boxes, the smell of cooked steak and vegetables wafting into the room ahead of her.

"It's the best I could find," she chirped, shrugging her tiny shoulders and setting the boxes on a nearby counter.

"I'm sure it will be fine Alice," Edward assured her without taking his eyes from Nessie. He sat beside her bed, holding her fragile looking hands in his own. Alice sighed impatiently, tapping her toe. I knew that she couldn't stand not knowing exactly when Nessie would awaken. "How much longer is this going to take, Carlisle?"

"It won't be much longer."

He and Esme were working over Jacob. Esme was carefully cleaning the dirt and blood from his skin, and Carlisle was doing his best to tend to the visible wounds, taping and bandaging where he could around Jacob's awkward sitting position. He had probed Jacob's ribcage gently while he slept, and found several breaks and fractures. There wasn't much he could do about those until Jake woke up.

Rose and I had tended to Nessie, gently wiping the streaks of dirt and blood from her face and hair, whispering words of love and encouragement all the while.

Now all we could do was sit back and wait. It was maddening. I wanted so badly for Nessie to open her eyes and see me there, to know for sure that she was finally safe and back with those that loved her the most. Another hour passed, and my thoughts turned toward a daydream of our happy reunion. The room had fallen into a quiet lull. Everyone seemed to be lost to their own thoughts, just sitting quietly and waiting as patiently as they could.

How quickly things can change.

Almost absentmindedly, I drifted slowly over to stand between Nessie and Jacob, in between his chair and her bed. No sooner had I gotten there, Carlisle abruptly jerked his head in Jacob's direction. Puzzled for only a fraction of a second, I heard what he must have heard almost at exactly the same moment. Something was wrong with Jacob's heartbeat. It had been steady for most of the time he'd been here, but now it faltered in it's rhythm, stuttering out a few rapid beats, then remaining still and silent for what seemed like a frighteningly long time. I studied his lank form carefully, taking in his unhealthy looking ghastly pallor. The color had drained from him until he was almost as white as me. His breathing suddenly became louder, more ragged. His body jerked spasmodically, and Edward dashed to his side to make sure the tubes that connected his right arm with Nessie's left remained intact. I stared in utter horror as Carlisle flitted to Jacob's other side, grabbing a stethoscope and placing it over Jake's heart, working over him frantically. No one had to say a word. I knew what was happening.

Without warning, dim human memories of Jacob rose to the surface of my mind, images bursting forth from the recesses of my subconscious, streaking faster than lightning behind my eyes: flashes of the two of us sitting in his makeshift garage at Billy's, laughing and drinking warm sodas; flashes of First Beach, of our bleached driftwood log, the waves crashing to the shore, Jacob's brilliant smile lighting up my whole world, brighter than the sun that hung in the sky above us; the wind whipping through my hair as I sped down a dirt path through the gray-green trees of the forest on my old motorcycle, Jacob's sure hands helping me up when I'd fallen. His husky voice filled my mind, a comforting and familiar counterpoint to all the times we had shared, both good and bad: all the talks we'd had, the laughs, the anger, the pain, the love, the deep bond of kindred spirits. Best friends. And now, my best friend was rapidly slipping away before my eyes, and there was nothing I could do to help him. Absolutely nothing at all.

Jacob was dying.


	38. Chapter 37

Chapter 37

Nessie

"Mom?" I whispered, slowly opening my eyes and focusing on her beautiful face.

"Is it really you? Are you really here?"

She smiled down at me, and tightened her grip on me slightly. I was cradled in her arms. She reached up to brush the hair off my forehead.

"Yes, sweetie, I'm really here. You're safe now, and it's all over," she crooned, rocking me gently like she used to when I was little. I noticed that she kept glancing from my face to a point somewhere over my head.

"Where…..where are we?" I tried to lift my head and look around, but the movement made me feel dizzy, so I settled back in her arms.

"We're in a small clinic not far from…where you were being held," she answered softly, and she looked like she'd be crying if she could. There was both joy and sadness in her eyes, and it confused me. Why would she be sad, now that we were back together? I felt a slight tugging on my right arm, and looked over to see my father kneeling beside me, working to fit a makeshift brace that ran from my wrist to my elbow. Although he was being as gentle as possible, I sucked in air sharply as I felt a stab of pain.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart," Dad murmured, finishing with the brace quickly and patting my cheek. "Your arm is broken, and we needed to get it set as soon as possible. This brace is only temporary, though. As soon as we get you home, I'll have Carlisle put a cast on you." He smiled lovingly at me, and a rush of warmth flooded through me as he said the word "home". I could think of nothing else in this moment that could make me happier. Except….

"Where's Jake?" I asked, trying to lift my head again to look around for him. I vaguely remembered him beside me in my cell, the comfort of his familiar scent and husky voice, the feel of his skin against mine like a miracle. He had to be around here somewhere….

When neither my mother nor my father responded, a wave of panic coursed through me. Why weren't they saying anything? My father had glanced briefly over his shoulder to an area across the room, and when I looked up at my mother, her gaze was directed toward the same place, worry creasing her brow and her eyes lit with a strange light.

"Mom, please," I whispered. "Where's Jake? Tell me what's going on?"

She finally looked down at me and gave me a half hearted smile that didn't reach her eyes.

"Nessie, you were injured very badly. Your body has suffered a great deal of trauma, and you lost a lot of blood. You were going into shock, so we brought you here so Carlisle could save you. You needed blood desperately, and Jake….well, of course he volunteered to be your donor. The thing is, he was also hurt very badly. We're still not sure of the extent of his injuries, and…." she trailed off, looking over my head once again.

"And?" I demanded. "What, Mom? What happened to Jake?" I nearly shrieked as the panic threatened to rise up and drown me in it completely. My dad held my good hand and tried to soothe me, but I was beyond comfort right now.

"I'm sure he'll be fine, sweetheart," Mom reassured, looking down at me and trying to put an expression on her face that would match her encouragement. She didn't quite succeed.

"Where is he?" I tried to lift myself up yet again, and this time, Mom helped me. She already had one arm behind my back and used it to lift me until I was almost in a sitting position. I turned my head in the direction that they'd been looking earlier, and my heart stopped cold in my chest.

Jake was lying on a narrow bed, hooked up to what looked like dozens of tubes and wires, needles sticking out of him in myriad places, an IV dripping steadily behind him. I could feel the blood drain from my face. Dad placed his hands on either side of my face and turned my head gently so he could look me in the eye.

"Jacob did a very noble thing for you, sweetheart, but it took a toll on him. He was already critical when we brought him here, and giving his blood to you exacerbated his condition. We had to…perform CPR on him, but we got his heart going again, and Carlisle is doing everything he can for him. I'm sure he'll be fine, Nessie. Try not to worry. Jacob is a fast healer, and very strong."

My dad's words did little to comfort me, and as I stared at Jake, lying there looking so weak and helpless, so broken and vulnerable, I began to hyperventilate. My mother's arms automatically tightened around me, and Alice immediately darted over with a paper bag. My dad made me breathe slowly into it. I did what he said, but I never took my eyes off Jake. Carlisle and Sam hovered over him, working frantically, partially blocking my view. Jake's body twitched slightly as I watched, and it seemed like his chest wasn't rising and falling as much as it should be. There seemed to be too long a pause in between breaths. His skin color was off, too. It wasn't nearly as dark as it should be. From the blood loss, most likely. Or, more accurately, from the blood I'd taken from him. A wave of guilt washed over me, and almost as soon as it did, my dad gripped my chin lightly and told me in a firm voice that none of this was my fault, that Jacob had done what he felt he had to do in order to save my life. But what if he died because of me? I could never live with myself. Jacob had been a part of my life since the day I was born, an extremely important part. I couldn't even imagine what the world would be like without him in it. A bleak place full of despair, no doubt. Horror and anguish replaced the guilt and panic as I tried to envision the rest of my days without Jake by my side. My breathing got out of control once again, and Dad made me continue blowing into the paper bag.

"Nessie, calm down. Concentrate on your breathing. Are you alright?" His eyes were tight with worry for me, but I couldn't answer him. I was beyond words. I reached over with my left hand to touch my mother's cheek, so I could share my thoughts with her as well as with my father. Visions of my early life rose to the surface of my mind, the vibrant colors of happiness and security swirling around the edges of the pictures. Jacob was in every scene. He'd always been a vital part of my life, but I could see now that I'd always taken him for granted, always expected him to be there without question.

I could remember the first time I'd ever seen him, the day I'd been born. Rosalie had just finished feeding me, and had lifted me to her shoulder. And Jake had been there behind her, at the bottom of the stairs, staring at me with open wonder and an indescribable awe. I knew right away that he was mine, that he was for me. From that moment on, there was hardly a minute of the day that he wasn't in my line of sight. He was always there, ready to protect me, to keep me safe and happy and loved. He'd always given in to my every whim, and had never complained once. It had made him happy to make me happy: the endless games we'd played, the hunting trips, the quiet times just lying in the grass staring at the clouds, and, whenever we'd been near the ocean, endless trips to the beach to gather shells and chase sand crabs, the more serious talks as I'd grown older and had become a little more rebellious. Jake had always lent a sympathetic ear, and had never made me feel like I was a whiny, typical teenager. He'd listened to my hopes and fears, my dreams about the future and had always encouraged me. He'd always been there when I needed someone to confide in, to share my secrets with. He'd always been there for me to lean on.

I recalled the time we'd been living in Peru, and I'd gotten it into my head that I was every bit as indestructible as my family. I'd climbed to the top of a very tall tree, with Jacob protesting the whole way. I'd simply grinned at him and launched myself from the highest branch straight toward the ground. Of course it didn't hurt me, not really. All I'd suffered was a scraped knee, but Jacob had flipped out, scooping me up and flying with me through the forest to get me to Carlisle. He'd hovered over me as Carlisle had bandaged me up. He'd quickly probed my arms and legs for any broken bones, as I sat and rolled my eyes.

And then, the more recent memories of our time together floated to the surface. The moment we'd discovered our new love for each other, our first kiss, the way he'd held me so tightly, yet tenderly. I wasn't embarrassed at all by these thoughts, thoughts that were surrounded by richer, deeper colors. I'd all but forgotten that my parents were sharing these memories with me. Walking hand in hand through the forest at twilight, the twinkling stars a witness to our undying devotion; his arms wrapped around me as we lay on the cliffs of First Beach, the full moon watching over us; the glowing happiness on his face as he'd proposed to me and I'd accepted, the rose and lavender hues of the clouds surrounding the dull gold of the sun as it sank into the ocean behind him. A choked sob escaped from my throat as I lingered on this last memory, at the utter and complete bliss we'd known as we decided to share our lives together in a more permanent way, to tie our fates to one another.

I felt the cold, hard hands of my parents grasping my arms to restrain me as I tried to get to my feet.

"Please," I whispered. "Please, just let me go to him. Please."

My mom and dad shared a look, then each of them wrapped an arm around my waist and helped me slowly walk toward the bed where Jacob lay.

I placed my good hand gently on his cheek and bent to touch my lips to his forehead. It felt too cold. I leaned further down to whisper in his ear.

"Please Jacob, don't leave me. I need you. I love you. Please…please stay with me."

Tears dripped from my eyes and rolled down his neck to pool at the hollow of his throat. He didn't respond to either my voice or my touch.

I turned my face to lay my cheek against his. His heartbeat thudded faintly in my ear, and I could feel my own heart slow, as if trying to match his, beat for beat. I straightened slowly, and the room began to spin. A gray cloud swam across my vision.

I could vaguely feel myself falling as the gray faded to black.

NO! I screamed to myself. I can't lose consciousness now! Not when these could be the last minutes of Jacob's life…

I struggled to bring myself back down from the place I'd floated to in my mind, to hold off the blackness. I couldn't let it have me. I had to stay awake, just had to…

I could feel the pressure of many different cold, strong hands supporting me, lifting my feet off the ground. I reached down deep inside myself and tried to grasp the last bit of strength I had left. I shook my head slightly and slowly opened my eyes. The room was still spinning, and my head still felt like it was floating somewhere above my body. My father placed me gently in the chair that sat beside the bed where Jake lay.

"I'm okay," I whispered, and Alice handed me a glass of water while my mother patted my hair.

"Are you sure, sweetie? Maybe you should lie down again for awhile-"

"No, Mom, I'm fine. Really. I have to stay awake now." My eyes flickered to Jake's prone form, and she looked at me with sympathy and understanding in her eyes. My thoughts went back to the memory pictures I had just shared with my father and her, to the fact that Jake had always been there for me, always watching over me, making my safety and happiness his top priority. From the day I'd been born, he'd sacrificed all of his time and energy on me, putting everything else in his life on a back burner: his family, friends, and even his duty to his pack. Would he now make the ultimate sacrifice for me? Had he forfeited his own life to save mine?

A stab of grief coursed through me. No, this couldn't be the end for us. We had so much to look forward to; our lives had barely begun. We'd not had nearly enough time together since we'd fallen in love. And I'd wasted several of those months on childish jealousy and stupidity. My father reached over to rub my shoulder soothingly as he heard these thoughts and emotions spinning through my head. He hated it when I berated myself, but I knew that I deserved it.

My eyes filled as I tried to fathom a life without Jake. Impossible. I couldn't. He was so much a part of me now that I could actually feel my own body weakening in response to his deteriorating condition. I lowered my head and sobbed quietly.

After what seemed like an eternity, I heard my father gasp softly, and I jerked my head up quickly to see a strange gleam in his eyes. He was staring at Jacob. He narrowed his eyes in concentration for a moment, then took my hands in his.

"Nessie, Jacob is going to be all right," he said in a low, solemn voice. The gleam in his eyes had turned to hope.

"What-" I began, but he pressed a finger to my lips to silence me.

"I can hear him Nessie. He's starting to come around. He's still too weak to talk out loud, but he told me to tell you not to worry about him. He said that he loves you, and that he'll be back with you soon." A crooked smile played on his lips, and I couldn't help grinning back. If I knew Jacob, he'd most likely thrown some unsavory expletives in there as well, but my father would never relay that to me.

Then my smile faltered. "Are you sure Dad?"

Maybe he was just telling me this to make me feel better. But no, Dad would never lie to me, never intentionally get my hopes up just to see them crushed again.

"Yes, sweetheart, he's going to be fine. Like I said, Jacob is strong and heals fast. I wish I could give you an exact time frame on when he'll awaken" he glanced briefly at Alice, who stuck her tongue out at him "but that's not possible. I'm sure it won't be much longer. Just trust me. As soon as he awakens, we'll take you both out of here and get back on the plane and go home."

"Thank you Daddy!" I threw my arms around his neck, hugging him tight.

Then I rose slowly to stand beside Jake again. I leaned down to whisper in his ear.

"I love you too, Jake. Hurry up and come back to me."


	39. Chapter 38

Chapter 38

I awoke some time later to a bit of turbulence that jostled me slightly. I opened my eyes to see the faces of my loved ones surrounding me, all of them wearing adoring smiles. It seemed as if everyone had a hand on me, soothing and patting me. My head rested on a pillow in Rose's lap, and beside her sat Emmett, his wide grin displaying his impossibly white, glistening teeth.

"'Bout time you woke up, sleepyhead," he said. His rumbling laughter shook the entire row of seats that I lay across. I rolled my eyes and heard several chuckles, and looked over to where Mom, Dad, Alice, and Jasper sat on the floor beside me. My mother had one arm wrapped around my waist, taking care to avoid my broken arm, holding me tightly but gently. My father held my good hand, squeezing lightly. Alice sat closer to my head, patting my cheek, with Jasper right behind her, one hand resting atop my head. Esme and Carlisle sat in the row behind us, each of them leaning over and staring at me with happiness and vast relief.

I raised my head slightly to look around the first class cabin of the Volturi jet.

"Jake?" I murmured. Everyone chuckled again, except for Rose, who merely let out a low sigh.

I saw the many faces of my dearest friends; Zafrina and the other Amazons, Siobhan and her coven, the Denalis of course, and Benjamin and Tia. The wolves were sitting further back, along with two young women I didn't recognize. But no Jake.

"He's over there sweetheart," Dad said, pointing across the aisle past Emmett. I twisted my neck slightly and could barely see the top of Jake's head, his silky black hair gleaming subtly in the dim glow of the cabin lights.

"Is he ok?" I asked, my tone a little shrill.

"Yes, honey, he's fine. He's just resting. You have both been through quite an ordeal," Mom reassured me. That wasn't good enough for me though. I had to see for myself that he was alright. I had to see his face.

I started to get up, and the many hands on me worked to restrain me.

"Please, just let me see Jake. Just for a minute."

Carlisle thought for a moment, then nodded his head. Mom and Dad helped me sit up, though I felt fine. Maybe a little dizzy, but I felt stronger than I had in the last few days.

I knelt carefully beside where Jake lay, stretched out across the row of seats as I had been. I looked him over, not sure exactly where it would be okay to touch him. He was wrapped in so much gauze, with dozens of bandages plastering his body. I settled for laying my hand on his cheek. His eyes opened the second he felt my touch, and he reached up with one hand to place it over mine.

"Oh Jake," I breathed. "I'm so…"

I didn't have words for what I felt, so I showed him instead. The beautiful colors of the vision I sent him swirled and mixed, coalesced into vibrant patterns that constantly changed, and grew more brilliant with each alteration.

He stared back at me, his black eyes bright and seeming to pierce through me, holding me in his gaze. He looked at me like I was the most precious, most rare treasure he'd ever seen. It sent a thrill of heat through me that spread quickly, warming me from my fingertips to my toes.

"You saved my life Jake," I whispered. I knew it was probably only my imagination, but I could have sworn that I felt like a new person with the last remnants of his blood still lingering in my veins, mingling with my own. I felt vital and whole. Complete.

He tried to shrug, and then winced. "Hey, it was nothing," he croaked. "Part of the job description, you know." His tone was teasing, but his eyes were very serious. He pulled my hand away from his face so he could look at it. His brow furrowed as he turned my hand back and forth his, like he was examining it for wounds.

"Something's wrong with your hand," he mumbled, his lips twisting down into a frown.

"Jake, what-"

"Here, I know how to fix it."

I had no idea what he was talking about, but now he looked like he was fighting a smile.

He dug into the pocket of his jeans with his right hand, the hand that had been holding mine. I noticed he didn't move his left one at all.

He fished around for a minute, finally pulling something out and holding it up to the light for me to see.

My ring!

How did he get it though? I had put it inside the little wooden music box he'd carved for me for my birthday right before I'd left for Madrid. He'd been by my side almost constantly before we'd boarded the plane, wanting to spend as much time with me as possible before we'd have to act like we didn't know one another in front of my classmates. He must have snuck back into my room at some point before we'd driven to the airport.

It didn't really matter though. I held my hand out for him so he could slip the ring in place.

"There, that's better," he said, giving me a sly wink.

We laughed together. I lay my hand over his, palm to palm. He stretched my arm out a little so we could both look at the ring, the beautiful little sparkling yellow diamond , the symbol of our eternal commitment. Then our fingers intertwined, and I rested my head lightly against his shoulder. He kissed my temple and rested his cheek against the top of my head. We both were quiet then, and my mind began to wander. I was deliriously happy to be with my family again, to be beside Jake once more. My mind filled with all the wonderful times spent with my loved ones, all the precious moments with Jake….

Eventually, my memories melted into dreams, dreams that were sweet and peaceful, with no hint of darkness.


	40. Chapter 39

**Chapter 39 **

Two weeks later

_Nessie_

I stood in the doorway of my walk-in closet, eyeing the many garment bags, trying to decide what to wear. Jake would be here to pick me up any minute, and I still hadn't made up my mind. Today, we were celebrating Claire's eleventh birthday at First Beach. It was a beautiful, hot sunny day, so all the kids she'd invited were going to swim and play on the beach, and later in the evening, we were going to have a bonfire.

There was a light tapping at my bedroom door, and my mom poked her head in.

"Ness honey, Charlie's on the phone."

I sighed a little, then smiled and shook my head. Mom handed me her cell phone and grinned impishly at me before she left my room.

"Hey grandpa," I chirped.

"Hey sweetheart, how are you feeling today?" Charlie inquired.

From the day we'd gotten back home, Charlie had rarely left my side. Every waking minute that he wasn't at work, he was here at the cottage, ready to tend to my every need. Since we'd gotten back to Forks a few days earlier than my classmates, who still had a few days left of their vacation in Madrid, and due to the fact that Jake and I were pretty banged up with absolutely no way of hiding it, Mom and Dad had come up with a story for Charlie's sake. Mom had called Charlie the morning after we'd gotten home, telling him that Jake and I had had to come back early because we'd been in a parasailing accident. Of course, if Charlie had known the full extent of Jake's injuries, he never would have bought that story. Along with dozens of lacerations, broken bones, and a concussion, it turned out that the left side of Jake's ribcage had been completely shattered, and a sharp edge of bone had pierced his left lung. He'd come very close to dying. And when he'd given me his blood to save my life, it had exacerbated his condition immensely, leaving him in such a weakened state that it was nothing short of a miracle that he'd survived. Carlisle chalked it up to Jake's ability to heal more rapidly than the average human, and his iron will. I shuddered at the thought of how close I'd come to losing him while trying to keep my voice composed for Charlie.

After chatting with Charlie for a few more minutes, assuring him at least a dozen times that I was okay, that I was feeling strong and healthy (Jake and I had both healed very quickly; neither of us needed our casts and bandages anymore) I snapped Mom's phone shut absently as my mind continued to wander. I thought about everything that had happened over the past couple of weeks.

The night we'd arrived back at the Cullen home, Carlisle set my broken right arm in a cast and tended to my less severe injuries. I had multiple lacerations on my head, and myriad bruises covering me from head to toe. I was in a lot better shape than Jacob, though. Carlisle had set up a hospital bed for him in one of the spare bedrooms, and had made him stay there all night. Of course I'd stayed with him, sitting in a recliner, holding his hand and talking quietly with him and my mother and father.

Dad had filled me in on what I'd missed. He'd explained the Romanians' agenda in kidnapping me, telling me that they'd hoped to coerce my family into helping them take down the Volturi. Of course, I'd figured out that much for myself when Ximena had come to me in my cell, and she'd told me about her father's plan. The Romanians had scoured the globe for vampires that were disgruntled with the Volturi's rule, finding Joham and his daughters in South America only a year ago, and then gathering all the vampires that had survived the southern wars and the almost total decimation that the Volturi had wrought there. The Romanians' plot had one fatal flaw, however: they hadn't banked on so many others joining my family in their search for me. Dad explained that they'd grievously underestimated the mysterious draw that made others gravitate to me, the love that they all felt for me, as Stefan and Vladimir had never touched me and experienced it for themselves. I'd blushed when he'd said this, but I was eternally grateful to all of Carlisle's friends that had rallied around my family to help save me.

"You don't realize how special you are Nessie, how many people truly love you," Mom had murmured, hugging me gently.

"Stefan and Vladimir both realized that they'd lost the moment they saw how many allies we had managed to gather," Dad continued with a wry grin. "They decided right then to try and eliminate as many of us as possible, and then reform a new plan at a later time. Of course, that didn't exactly work out for them," he said quickly, and I got the feeling that he was trying to spare me the ugly details of the brawl that had ensued. I found that I didn't really need to know the details. My family had come out of it unscathed for the most part, and that was what I concentrated on. We were all safe, and our friends had all been able to go back to their homes with peace of mind. They'd all promised to come and visit soon, once we'd all settled back into our lives and I'd had time to rest and completely recover. The only worry that remained for my parents was the fact that the Romanians had managed to slip away unseen during the fight, and no one had any clue as to where they'd gone. Dad was sure that they'd never give up on their quest to annihilate the Volturi, but he thought they'd probably have to lay low for a while. The Volturi were certainly wise to what had gone down, and would surely be on their guard for many decades to come. They might even send out a search party for the two vengeance-minded rogues, and have them eliminated.

On much lighter note, Nahuel and Ximena had gone back to South America together, and Huilen had accepted Nahuel's sister with open arms, as he'd written to tell me. He'd expressed over and over in his letter how happy he was that I was safe, and how sorry he was that he couldn't do more to save me. I'd written back and told him that I was grateful that he'd taken it upon himself to risk his life to make the effort. We'd promised to get together soon, and I knew that we would remain close friends for a very long time.

Another happy development that arose from this mess was the fact that the Cullen family now had two new members: the half vampire daughters of Demetri, Dulcea and Amelia. They had been understandably nervous when they'd first arrived in Forks, having lived their whole lives within the walls of Volterra, but they'd both adapted to the family very quickly. Jake had explained to me about Embry's imprinting on Dulcea, how he couldn't bear to leave her behind in Italy. Carlisle had graciously offered them a place within his family, and it was working out beautifully. I found that I had a lot in common with the sisters, besides the fact that we were all half beings, and we'd hit it off almost immediately. They both enjoyed reading poetry and being outdoors. They also had a liking for new clothes, which made Alice ecstatic beyond belief. Just last weekend, she and Rose had driven the two girls down to L.A. for a two day shopping trip. They had each gotten entirely new wardrobes, along with enough shoes and accessories to last them ten lifetimes. Rose had had to rent a van to haul their purchases home. Esme had of course taken them under her wing immediately, setting them up in my father's old room. They could have had their own rooms if they'd wished, but they'd insisted on sharing. They were extremely close, both of them kind and gentle creatures. It was hard to believe that they'd been fathered by a man like Demetri.

When I wasn't with Jacob, I spent a lot of time with the sisters. We listened to music in my room, talking endlessly about everything under the sun, took walks through the forest together, and hunted together. It had taken them a few days to get used to the idea of a diet of nothing but animal blood, but they were doing well, all things considered. Since I disliked animal blood almost as much as they did, we shared little private jokes about it, giggling together like we'd been friends our whole lives. Alice had already thrown a couple of slumber parties for us over the past two weeks; she'd had a blast dressing us up and giving us makeovers. Rose had participated as well, just as pleased as Alice to have Dulcea and Amelia in our lives. I knew from the tender way she looked at them that she was already thinking of them as daughters.

Embry was never far away of course, spending as much time with Dulcea as he possibly could so they could get to know each other better. He'd taken her and Amelia to meet Billy the day after we'd gotten home. Billy had only been mildly surprised at the news that his other son had imprinted on a half vampire also. His mother was still trying to get used to the knowledge that her son was a shape-shifter, so I knew that it would probably take her a little longer to accept a half vampire future daughter-in-law.

Then, on the first Monday after we'd gotten home, I'd received a call from Wren.

"Oh Nessie, you missed the best trip ever! I wish your mom and dad had let you come!" she gushed on the other end of the line. She and my other classmates must still be suffering from memory loss, laboring under the delusion that I'd never been on the plane with them. Hmmm….Yara's gift of erasing memories must have a more lasting, more permanent effect on humans.

"Yeah, I wish I could have gone too," I replied, trying to infuse my tone with the right amount of regret. Of course, I was extremely regretful that I'd had the misfortune to get kidnapped and tortured, but I somehow was not very sad at having missed the class trip. "So, what all did you guys get into?" I asked.

"Well, we got to do a lot of sightseeing, which was extremely cool. We got to visit the Museo Nacional del Prado, and we even got to go to the Royal Palace!" she exclaimed. "We went shopping, out to dinner, and to a couple of theaters" she listed quickly. I had the feeling that there was more behind this call than her simply relaying the class trip. Her next words confirmed this thought.

"But guess what Nessie? Something wild happened the night before we left….the weirdest thing **ever**. Just guess."

Before I could utter one word, she rushed on.

"Oh, never mind, you'll never guess." She waited a beat then went on. "Kade disappeared." She said the words slowly, as if for dramatic effect.

A chill shot down my spine. My dad had explained to me that Kade was one of Joham's sons, Damien's twin, in fact, and that he'd been sent to Forks to spy on me and ultimately kidnap me. He was supposed to have grabbed me the night we'd all gone camping, the same night that he'd kissed me and ignited the turmoil between Jake and me. I wasn't really surprised by what Wren was telling me now, though. Just the mention of his name was enough to set off unpleasant reactions in my body.

"Oh," I said, working to sound surprised. "What happened to him?"

"Well, he and some of the other boys had asked permission to go and see a movie at about eight o'clock. Brian said that Kade went to the bathroom about halfway through the movie, and just…never came back. Ms. Goff called the police of course, and they came right away and searched the whole theater. But they didn't find him. They searched our hotel too, but he was just nowhere to be found. Ms. Goff tried to contact his family in London, but the number was bad or something. She tried several times, but never got an answer. The operator said that the number was no longer in service. Then Ms. Goff called the Greeley's here in Forks. You remember, Kade was supposed to be staying with them? Well, they flipped out of course. I mean, like, they totally freaked. They contacted the police over in London, to let them know that they couldn't locate their son Jack, who was supposed to be participating in the foreign exchange program. Just yesterday, I overheard Mrs. Stanley talking to Mr. Burke at the Thriftway, and apparently, they found Jack. He found out as soon as he landed in London that the whole foreign exchange thing was bogus, but instead of calling his parents to send money so he could come home, he just decided to stay over there! Yeah! Just stay over there like he didn't have a care in the world, or anybody to answer to. The story is that he hooked up with some college kids, and he's been living in a crappy little apartment with them this whole time, doing God knows what. They saw the police bulletin about him and turned him in. Guess they didn't want to get in trouble. Anyhoo, his parents are livid. I mean, completely and totally livid. They're flying out to London tomorrow to drag his butt back home…" Wren continued on, but I wasn't paying attention anymore. So Kade was gone. I wondered if he knew that his father and twin brother were dead. Would he go in search of his sisters, who had slipped away from the confrontation as silently and mysteriously as the Romanians had? I'd shuddered again.

Another knock on my door snapped me out of my reverie.

"Hey Ness, you better shake it if we want to get to the party on time," Jake's husky voice said playfully.

"Just a minute." I finally decided on a pair of khaki Capri's, and a simple, white peasant blouse with short sleeves. I slipped on a pair of sandals and raked my hair back into a messy knot.

"Hey," I said, as I opened my door and drank in the sight of Jake. He was leaning casually against the doorframe, arms crossed over his chest. He looked me up and down approvingly, and gave me a half smile.

"I'm so glad you're not one of those high maintenance chicks," he grinned. I punched him in the arm.

"Seriously, you look beautiful. Shall we?" He offered me one of his arms and I looped mine through it.

"Have fun you two!" Mom called from her bedroom.

"We will. See ya later!" I called back.

Jake swiftly turned me and caught me in a tight hug at the front door, pulling me off the floor so he could kiss me. It was just as magical as the first time. I didn't think I'd ever get used to his lips on mine, would never take it for granted or find it mundane. Each kiss was exciting; the moment our lips touched, an electric thrill ran through me, a thrill that tingled throughout my entire body. He set me carefully back down, and we looked into each other's eyes for a long moment. He brushed a strand of stray hair back behind my ear, then grinned at me. I found myself a little breathless in the face of that brilliant smile. He grabbed my hand, tugging me out the door behind him, and then we were racing through the forest together.


	41. Epilogue

**Chapter 40 epilogue **

The sun was starting to sink down into the ocean now, painting the wispy clouds in soft shades of orange, pink and a darker indigo at the outer edges. Jake and I walked slowly across the warm sand, holding hands as we headed to our special place almost unconsciously. Embry and Dulcea were also walking hand in hand, right along the shore, their bare feet washed by the gentle incoming tide. Amelia and Seth were helping some of the younger kids build a sand castle, and Leah and Sam were sitting side by side on a large quilt not too far away from the fire Sam had built earlier. Little Levi was sitting up now, and I saw him grab a fistful of sand and try to shove it in his mouth. Sam reached out swiftly and opened his little hand, making him pour the sand back out onto the beach. Levi protested with a sharp cry, and I couldn't help but giggle.

"Should we go and help?" I asked Jake.

"Nah, Leah's got it," he replied, glancing back over his shoulder with a grin. Leah scooped Levi up and crooned softly to him. Samuel was asleep, stretched out on the quilt in front of her, looking so sweet and peaceful. Claire had Nyeli down by the water's edge. She hoisted the baby up on her hip and pointed out toward the ocean where two eagles circled one another, their cries almost lost in the sound of the crashing waves. Quil stood close to her, and to his right were a bunch of Claire's school friends, huddled together. They all stared at Quil, some with hands over their mouths and giggling shyly. One of the girls kept batting her long eyelashes at Quil and blushing whenever he happened to look her way. Apparently he had some admirers. He was doing his best to ignore their inept flirtations while still trying to be polite for Claire's sake. Jake and I both thought it was hilarious.

When we reached our little section of the beach, the place where Jake had proposed to me a few weeks ago, we sat side by side and stared out at the horizon, now dotted with the first few twinkling stars of twilight.

We sat in comfortable silence for a while, holding hands, just enjoying one another.

"So", Jake said softly, finally breaking the silence. "Paul and Rachel were over at Billy's the other day, talking wedding plans. Seems they're aiming for a Christmastime."  
"Mmmm." I mumbled. I tilted my head back to catch the last of the day's warmth on my face.

"Which reminds me," Jake went on, a little coyly I thought. "We have some planning of our own to do."

I opened my eyes to see him staring at me, both seriously and a little playfully. He looked down at my hand and eyed my ring meaningfully.

"Yeah, I guess we do," I answered casually. "'Course, you know we're not going to get to do much planning…." I grinned, then after a beat, we both said, "Alice."

Jake rolled his eyes, then pursed his lips.

"Yeah, I'm sure she'll be wanting to throw a big frilly, frou-frou, poof-tacular party." He sighed deeply, and I chuckled.

"I'm sure it won't be that bad, Jake," I teased, patting him on the shoulder in mock sympathy. "You know what, though? We could always endure whatever she throws at us, then wait a week or two and run off to do our own thing. She'd never see it coming."

Jake's eyes lit up as he processed this. "Yeah!" he exclaimed. "That's a cool idea. I guess I could put up with wearing a monkey suit for one day. 'Course, you'll look beautiful no matter what," he said, waving a hand in my direction dismissively, like this was a statement of fact. "And then-"

"Hey!" I shouted. "You know what? I just had the perfect idea! We could get married while skydiving! You know, how couples jump out of the plane together and scream their vows to each other while plummeting to the earth?"

Jake looked at me like I was crazy for a second, then groaned and flopped back onto the sand.

"Don't you think you've had enough excitement for one lifetime?"

I chuckled again.

"I'm kidding, Jake. Besides, we've got forever to decide, right?"

I couldn't help laughing hysterically as I lay across his chest. His arms wound around my waist, pulling me closer. My laughter slowly faded as I gazed intently into his eyes. Those black, sparkling depths filled my vision and my mind. I saw the whole of my existence there, my past and my future, everything I was and would be. I could lose myself forever in those eyes.

Then he placed his hands on either side of my face, gently drawing me closer. We kissed softly at first, then deeper and more passionately as the velvet dark of the peaceful night drew down around us.

THE END

**Thank you for reading I hoped you enjoyed the story as much as I did.**

**Thank you SJ**


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